Love Just Is
by OTHBrucas
Summary: Another Brucas, like my other stories. Kind of fluffy, kind of angsty...please read!
1. Chapter 1

Brooke Davis stared at her wall in tears. She had just come back from a night out with her best friends Peyton, Nathan, Haley, and Lucas. There had been one addition, one girl that wasn't exactly her best friend. More like her worst enemy.

Annabelle Chalmers. Better known as Anna by the vast population of her love-struck grade. She was a British beauty with an enchanting accent and burning blue eyes. People referred to her lovingly as the "blue eyed British beauty". Brooke referred to her as the whore that had stolen her boy.

Truth was that Anna was a sweetheart through and through. She had irresistible charm, unsurpassable fashion sense, and a voice that would send any boy's nerves tingling. She had been incredibly friendly to Brooke when Brooke had returned from California to find HER as Lucas's new fling. But Brooke somehow couldn't find it in her heart to be the same big person and secretly plotted her downfall. Anna, however, didn't have a mean bone in her body.

Tonight, Anna and Lucas had looked almost as happy as Brooke and Lucas were before their dramatic breakup. And it had broken Brooke's heart into a thousand pieces.

The two and half months she was in California were the two and a half most horrible months of her life. Trapped under her mother's constant glare and her father's constant reprimand, miles and miles away from her best friend and the guy she loved. It was not the summer she had planned for herself. And then she had returned to find HER.

Annabelle Chalmers. The name rang through her head, and she remembered her first day back. Hey Brooke, have you met Anna? She's so sweet. Oh Brooke, meet Anna! Anna, this is Brooke. Oh Anna, Anna, Anna!

It was enough to make Brooke wanna catch a plane back to California. She almost did it when she found out that Miss Popular was dating a boy.

_Her_ boy.

Brooke bravely wiped her tears and got up to go to the bathroom, but was stopped when her phone rang.

"Hello?" Brooke said into it, trying her hardest not to sound like she had just spent 2 hours sobbing.

"Hey you" Lucas deep voice resonated over the phone, making Brooke's knees go weak.

"Hey Luke" Brooke said nonchalantly. "What's up?"

"Nothing much, just bored. We didn't talk much tonight so I thought I'd give you a call"

"Oh" Brooke said, trying to sound friendly and congenial.

"So how's life, pretty girl?" Lucas asked.

Brooke's heart fluttered at the use of his favorite nickname for her.

"It's good, can't believe we're seniors already"

"I know…what colleges are you thinking about going to?" he asked her.

"Umm I really don't know right now…you?" Brooke asked.

"UNC sounds good, it's near home and it's a good school" Lucas said.

"Yeah…" Brooke said, playing with her hair and biting her lip.

"So do we have any plans for tomorrow?" Lucas asked.

"I think movies, maybe?"

"What time is good for you?"

"Anytime after 1"

"Oh, Anna said anytime before 1" Lucas said.

"Well its ok, we don't have to change plans for me" Brooke said.

"We don't have to change plans for her either" Lucas said.

"But won't she get mad that she's not there when I am?"

"Why would she?" Lucas asked.

"Doesn't she know about…our history?"

"She has some idea, but I didn't really talk about it with her…we've only been going out for a month" Lucas said.

"I just though she might be mad anyway" Brooke said.

"Oh, no she's not like controlling at all" Lucas said.

"Oh, like I was?" Brooke asked.

"I never said that" Lucas defended.

"You implied it!" Brooke yelled.

"Ok so I call for a nice chat with you because I've barely spoken to you in 3 months and this is what I get? An attack!" Lucas said hotly.

"And whose fault would THAT be, Lucas?"

"Yours! You've been so cold to me since you got back, I don't even know what's gotten into you!"

"What's gotten into me?" Brooke demanded. "I was surprised to find you practically married to a random British girl when I got back after you had told me that you loved me at TOTALLY the wrong time, Lucas!"

"I'm sorry, Brooke…" Lucas sighed.

"I don't care"

"I STILL love you, Brooke!"

"You can't say that. You're in a relationship"

"It doesn't mean anything to me"

"Right, just like ours didn't mean anything to you until you realized you couldn't get me back. YOU are a total case of ego, Lucas, and I want absolutely nothing to do with you. Have a nice life"

"Brooke, wait-" Lucas said. But she had hung up.

**A/N: Hope you liked the first chapter! Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

"So I heard about you and Brooke's little…chat yesterday" Anna told Lucas the next morning at breakfast at the Café.

"From who!" Lucas asked.

"Unnamed sources"

"Also known as Haley?"

"Kinda" Anna said, sipping her orange juice. "So I had no idea you felt that way about Brooke"

"What way?" Lucas played innocent.

"Um, the 'I still love you and Anna means nothing to me' way" Anna said nonchalantly.

"Anna I didn't mean that"

"Right" Anna said.

"I really truly didn't…I just wanted to tell Brooke that I-"

"Still loved her?"

"I guess if that's what you wanna say, then yes" Lucas sighed.

"So do you love her?"

"Yeah"

"You don't love me?"

"How am I supposed to answer that, Anna?"

"Yes or no?"

"No, I don't love you but I like you a lot!" Lucas defended.

"But you asked me out to make Brooke jealous?" Anna asked.

"No…I-"

"That's exactly what you did, Lucas Scott, I'm not a stupid whore" Anna snapped. "I'm smarter than you think!"

"I know you are, Anna, I'm not trying to fool you. Look you weren't even IN Tree Hill when Brooke and I were-"

"As you've so kindly reminded me thousands of times, I wasn't in Tree Hill when you and Brooke were the couple descended from heaven, was I?" Anna shouted. "And I will never be a part of that life, Lucas! I can't be discriminated against forever by you because of it! I am tired of being second to your precious Brooke! All you talk about is HER, all that is constantly on your mind is HER and I've been putting up with it and understanding it for the past 3 and a half months and I'm SICK of it!" Anna said, slamming her glass down on the table. And just like that, Anna walked out of the Café.

"Lucas?" Brooke entered the scene.

"How much of that did you hear?" Lucas sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"All of it…" Brooke sighed. "Look, I didn't mean to cause this much trouble, I was just-"

"Brooke you're not the one that's caused this trouble, it's me" Lucas said. "I've been doing so much lying lately, so much hiding and denying. It's ruined my relationship with Anna which DID mean something to me and-"

"But you told me in clear words last night that it DIDN'T" Brooke said.

"It does, but not as much as you" Lucas said, looking up at her.

"Nice line, Lucas" Brooke said. "Now do you expect me to believe it?"

"What is everyone's problem today? Why are you CONSTANTLY on my case, Brooke?" Lucas shouted. "I can't tell you I love you without your goddamn insecurities kicking in and I'm sick of making embarrassing speeches for you, why can't you just BELIEVE me when I say I LOVE YOU?"

"MY goddamn insecurities?" Brooke said, her voice rising. "MY goddamn insecurities which THANK YOU VERY MUCH were caused by YOU are there because you were a lying, cheating scumbag. Pardon me if I'm not willing to fall in love with you ALL OVER AGAIN like the fairytales in your books after you say three words which are thrown around so much by you that they've completely lost their meaning!"

"I don't throw those words around, Brooke" Lucas said, his voice constricting. "I've only said them and meant them once, and that's been with you"

"No. Let me count…'I love you Peyton. I love you Anna. I love you Rachel. I love you Brooke'. And that's exactly the order I come in when it comes to you because you cant get over your precious Peyton and show me for once that there's some truth behind your favorite three words" Brooke yelled.

"There IS truth behind them Brooke, there IS" Lucas said, almost begging. "More truth than you'll ever know"

"If there's that much truth behind them, then can that truth explain to me why you cheated? Why you treated me the way you did? Why you made me fall in love with you all over again only to leave me hanging for a girl you met at a summer barbecue? Tell me, Lucas Scott, can that truth explain to me why I've always been SECOND in your life? Second to Peyton, second to basketball, second to school…I'm always second, and you know me, Lucas, Brooke Davis is NEVER second" Brooke said. She turned around and walked out of the Café door, and Lucas watched as she defiantly crossed the street.

"Rough day, huh man?" Nathan asked, walking in and glancing over his shoulder.

"Rough would be an understatement" Lucas groaned, banging his head on the table.

* * *

"Dinner tonight?" Haley asked Brooke.

"Is Lucas going to be there?" Brooke asked.

"Yes" Haley sighed. "Come on Brooke, you have to come! Its senior year, we can't miss out on any fun!"

"Is Anna going to be there?"

"No"

"I'll think about it" Brooke said.

"Brooke…" Peyton and Haley were now both whining.

"You guys, I can't be around Lucas after I screamed at him today!" Brooke said. "How incredibly awkward!"

"Brooke, you don't have to talk to him…just come, please?" Peyton begged.

"Fine, fine…"

"We're going to have dinner and then go to the beach" Haley said. "We're leaving in an hour"

"I should go get ready" Brooke sighed, getting up. "It was going to be just me, Ben, and Jerry tonight, but…"

"But we're not going to let you fester because we're good friends. Right Peyt?"

"Right" Peyton said. "Now, up, missy! We're going to have fun tonight!"

**A/N: Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Last night was NOT fun you guys" Brooke whined in the morning.

"It was fun" Peyton said. "Though Jake was probably pissed that I crashed here"

"Why would he be pissed? You can do your own thing, right?" Brooke asked.

"Yes but we were…uh" Peyton shrugged.

"OOOH I see" Brooke cackled.

"Brooke!" Peyton blushed.

"Peyton and Jake…doing a lot more than kissing in a tree…" Haley sang.

"You guys…" Peyton buried her face into the pillow.

"Ice cream, anyone?" Brooke asked.

"Gym, anyone?" Haley asked.

"Shut up, I'm in mourning!" Brooke defended. "I'll go run off this ice-cream weight tomorrow"

"Mhmm…"

"Haley you're supposed to empathize and sympathize, not tell me to loose weight" Brooke whined.

"I'm just giving it a realistic spin honey" Haley laughed. "I'm sorry though…be in un-mourning"

"Why are we in mourning?" Nathan asked, meandering in.

"Nathan why do you always just walk in?" Brooke demanded.

"Because…Haley lives here?"

"I know, but what if Haley's getting hot and steamy with one of her other pimps?" Brooke asked.

"Well then I'd have to kick their asses" Nathan laughed, kissing Haley.

"Peyton, Jake was looking for you this morning" Nathan laughed. "The matter seemed urgent"

At this, Brooke and Haley lost all control and burst out laughing. Confusion spread across Nathan's face as he watched Brooke and Haley double over, tears running down their faces.

"SHUT UP! You guys…" Peyton groaned, burying her face in the pillow.

"What…?" Nathan asked.

"Peyton…Jake…last night…sex" Brooke gasped through her laughter.

"Oh…" Nathan laughed, finally getting it. "Does poor Peyton get harassed like this often?"

"No, it's usually me" Haley giggled. "But we decided to gang up on Peyton this time"

"Thanks you guys" Peyton sighed, burying her face in the pillow once again.

"Mortification complete" Brooke giggled, regaining control of herself and taking another bit of her ice cream.

"Ever since Brooke got back from California all she's done is eat ice-cream" Peyton laughed. "In mourning of Lucas"

"Oh shush" Brooke pouted.

"Oh yeah Lucas is coming over soon too" Nathan said.

"WHAT? You just INVITED him?" Brooke freaked. "I'm jumping in the shower!"

"Of course she is" Peyton said. "I don't even care what I look like"

"Yeah neither do I" Haley laughed.

"Hello, hello!" Lucas meandered in 20 minutes later. He looked around and asked "Where's Brooke?"

"Your love is in the shower" Peyton said.

"I'm out of the shower" Brooke laughed, coming into the living room. Lucas drew in a breath at the sight of her. She was just wearing a sweater and jeans but her hair fell in damp curls around her face and her eyes were sparkling with laughter.

"Hey Brooke" Lucas said, giving her a timid hug.

"Hi" Brooke smiled, walking over to the fridge and pulling out water. "Anyone want anything to drink?"

"No actually we're going out" Haley said. "We wanted to go to the park"

"Yes, because we're 5 and we love parks?" Brooke giggled.

"Hey don't insult parks, I love them" Peyton said. "Anyway, you guys go ahead and I'm going to go home and shower and then Jake and I will meet you there"

"Yeah, don't think that's gonna happen" Brooke laughed. "Jake and you have other things to do"

"One day, Brooke Penelope Davis, I will find something embarrassing against you and torture you"

"That will be the day my dear…" Brooke giggled. "Ok! Everyone! Park lets go!"

* * *

"So I hope you don't mind that I'm walking you home" Lucas said to Brooke.

"No I like it actually" Brooke laughed. "Did you have fun at the park?"

"As much fun as an 18 year old can have at a park designed for 5 year olds" Lucas laughed.

"Oh come on, Lucas, don't be so mature…be crazy sometimes" Brooke giggled.

"Like you?" Lucas said.

"Like me" Brooke giggled, looking up at him. This was by far the most romantic thing they had done so far, without it even meaning to be. The moon was shining in the background, sharpening his face and illuminating her eyes. "Ok…well this is me" Brooke said, pointing to her apartment.

"Ok…I had fun tonight" Lucas said, hugging her. Brooke almost let her body sink into his embrace before realizing that they weren't dating so she couldn't do that.

"Yeah, me too"

"Hey…I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner tomorrow night"

"Sure I'll let Haley and Nathan know about it"

"No…I meant just the two of us"

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to get a chapter up! My summer's way too busy! Lol REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

"See, I told you so! I told you!" Peyton giggled.

"Shut up" Brooke giggled. "I'm excited though"

"I knew he would ask you out soon enough"

"I'm not his girlfriend, we're just going out to dinner you guys" Brooke pointed out. "As FRIENDS" she added emphatically.

"Yes, and you pull your best sweater and nicest Versace jeans out for a dinner with a friend?" Haley asked.

"Ok…so maybe I wanna look nice, is that a crime?"

"No, but I'm just saying. Lucas is looking for more in this dinner endeavor than you are" Haley said.

"I'm not going to sleep with him on our first date in 8 months" Brooke said.

"I don't mean that. I mean that he's trying to say something" Haley said.

"Say what? I wanna take you out to dinner?" Brooke asked.

"No! He's trying to say he loves you" Haley said.

"Bull" Brooke said.

"It's not! He does, Brooke"

"Yes, the way to tell someone you love them is take them out to dinner?" Brooke asked. "Since when?"

"He's trying to be traditional…you know, dinner, movie…just give him a chance, Brooke. He's really trying to make you see that he cares about you" Haley said.

"Fine. I'm not going any further to promote this dating business; I'm just going because-"

"Because you love him, too. You know you've been waiting for 8 months for him to ask you this" Haley pointed out.

"Have not" Brooke defended, but silently her conscience reprimanded her. Of course she was hoping Lucas would ask her to dinner. She was screaming with excitement inside. She just didn't want to show it in fear that if she got her hopes up it would all come crashing down.

* * *

"You look beautiful" Lucas said as he pulled out the chair for her. 

"Thanks, you look quite handsome yourself Abercrombie model" Brooke giggled.

"Well, I put on my best" Lucas laughed. "And I got harassed by Nathan, Skillz, and my mother alike"

"Yeah?" Brooke asked, laughing. She could almost hear Haley saying _"I told you so"_

"So" Lucas said, scooting closer to Brooke. "What's up?"

"Nothing…it's getting chilly now" Brooke said.

"Yeah…how're college applications going?"

"I wanna go to the Art Institute of Charlotte to study fashion" Brooke said.

"Oh…I'm looking into UNC to study literature" Lucas said.

"Looks like we both wanna stay in state"

"Yeah…you know with mom and…" Lucas said.

"Yeah, I agree" Brooke said. She picked at her salad in silence for a few minutes.

Lucas watched her and smiled inwardly. She was nervous and he could tell. And it was funny, because Lucas and she had done a lot more than just go on a date in their previous attempt at a relationship.

"So…" Lucas said.

"So…I can't believe we have nothing to talk about" Brooke laughed nervously. "We usually talk over each other at a hundred miles per hour"

"Are you nervous?" Lucas asked.

"Yes, are you?" Brooke said honestly.

"Terrified…I really want it to work this time, Brooke; I meant what I said before you left; I meant every single word of it"

"Really?"

"Really"

"Are you ready to go to the park?" Lucas asked.

"Ready" Brooke said. "We're going to the park?"

"You'll see…"

"Oh, the fireworks!" Brooke said, remembering.

"I was hoping you'd forget, darn it!" Lucas laughed, grabbing her coat and helping her put it on.

"Lucas Scott, have you been taking chivalry classes?"

"No, my mother is just being anal about it lately" Lucas laughed. "She says her son better know how to treat a girl properly"

"I agree with your mother completely" Brooke giggled, grabbing her purse. "Shall we go?"

"We shall" Lucas held the door open and followed her out of the restaurant.

_Meanwhile…_

"I wonder how Brooke and Lucas's date is going" Peyton wondered, popping some popcorn into her mouth. Her, Haley, and Rachel (whom Brooke was close to best friends with) were having a sleepover.

"All three of our men are out with each other instead of us" Rachel sighed.

"Mouth's lucky he scored you" Peyton laughed, throwing some popcorn at Rachel.

"HEY I just cleaned yesterday" Haley said. "No popcorn throwing!"

"But moooom…" Rachel whined mockingly.

"Shush, Rachel, just because you have servants to clean up after you doesn't mean all of us do!" Haley teased.

"Well, I'll send some of them over here" Rachel sighed, snuggling under her blanket. "This movie is so sad" The Notebook was playing in the background.

"It's all I watched when I was on tour" Haley said. "I believed that just like Allie and Noah, Nathan and I would find our way back to each other"

"And you did"

"Thank god"

"Its so weird" Rachel speculated. "Peyton, you live for Jake, and Haley, you for Nathan. I wonder what it would be like to LIVE for someone"

"It's a strange feeling" Haley said. "There's no possible way to describe it"

"You two are so lucky…I really like Mouth, but I don't love him, I don't think…"

"You don't have to love someone to be in a good relationship Rach…just be honest with him and yourself- that's the most valuable lesson I've learned" Haley said.

"I wonder if Brooke is going to take Lucas back" Peyton said.

"Why, you don't want him to?" Rachel asked.

"Well, a part of me doesn't. Lucas was my first love…Jake IS it, but Lucas was my first and its weird to see him and my best friend together…but I love Jake now and I have no interest in Lucas"

"Right…"

"I don't! Seriously, if I did, I would tell you guys and Brooke. It wouldn't be fair to either of them if I hid it"

"It wouldn't…" Haley said. "Well…I think I'm going to pop some more popcorn"

"I want another brownie" Rachel said.

"We're out"

"Let's make some!" Rachel said enthusiastically.

"Little miss rich girl cooking? This should be a sight to see…" Haley laughed.

* * *

"Lucas Scott! Let go of me! Lucas…" Brooke gasped between breaths. "Lucas I'm so ticklish and you know it!" 

"Yes and I'm using it 100 percent against you" Lucas said, tickling her harder.

"Meanie"

Lucas imitated Brookes pout. "I'm a meanie?"

"A big one" Brooke pouted back. "And I wanna watch the fireworks, so shush"

"The fireworks aren't singing, Brooke, they're just going off"

"SHUSH!"

"Sorry…" Lucas laughed.

"To make up for it, you're just going to have to kiss me" Brooke said bravely.

"Oh really?" Lucas teased.

"Really"

"What about taking it slow?"

"I never said turtles pace…"

**A/N: Review please! )**


	5. Chapter 5

In one month, Brooke and Lucas had cranked it up from casual dating to a full on relationship. They were happy to report, however, that they were content with the position it was at.

"Boyfriend!" Brooke squealed, seeing Lucas.

"Pretty girl…" Lucas whispered, hugging her tightly. Brooke smiled to herself as she felt his heart beat faster than usual when he embraced her. This was what she called love. And it made her happy that she made someone's heart beat faster.

"Cheesiness…" Peyton groaned as she walked by them.

"I hate you" Brooke giggled.

"I reciprocate that feeling" Peyton said, sticking her tongue out at Brooke.

"You guys…" Lucas laughed. "How's your homework going, babe?" he asked Brooke.

"Good…I just have Calc left…oh what fun"

"You're kind of OWNING that class" Haley said.

"That's true…97 percent!" Brooke giggled.

"Wow that's amazing" Lucas said.

"I know, I'm amazing" Brooke said, shrugging"

"And a tad conceited" Peyton teased.

Brooke pouted and turned to Lucas. "Are we going soon?"

"As soon as you're ready"

"I'm ready"

"Then lets go"

"Lets go…" Lucas said, following her out the door.

"Have fun! No sex!" Haley called after them.

"Have they even had sex yet?" Peyton asked.

"No…"

"Looks like Brooke's serious about the emotional not physical thing"

"Lucas is just as serious"

"Lucas isn't serious, Hales, he's horny but nice. So he's a nice horny guy"

"What a turn on" Rachel commented from the couch.

"I'm a nice horny guy" Nathan said.

"We know you are, Nate" Peyton giggled.

* * *

"Boyfriend" Brooke whined.

"Uh oh…what do you want?"

"A kiss"

"That I can give" Lucas said, kissing her.

"How's Anna?" Brooke asked.

"She's good…I think"

"You haven't talked to her?"

"No she switched out of AP Lit so I don't see her at all anymore"

"Do you like it that way?"

"It's not a particular change…why?"

"Just playing my role as overprotective girlfriend"

"You know I would never hurt you like that again Brooke"

"You wouldn't?"

"I wouldn't dream of it…I can't imagine losing you forever" Lucas said.

"What are we going to do about college?"

"I don't know…but it's far away, so let's not think about it now"

"Why not? I wanna talk about it!" Brooke said.

"Brooke…"

"I know I'm being psycho, but do you care enough about me to stay with me through college?"

"Of course I do" Lucas said, kissing her softly.

"That's all I wanted to know" Brooke said, settling her head against Lucas's chest. "I'm going to miss you if we go our separate ways"

"I don't think that'll happen" Lucas said.

"You don't?"

"I hope not"

"Do you love me, Lucas?" Brooke asked timidly, looking up at me.

"Yes"

"I love you too" she smiled, kissing him.

"And NOW we go to the beach"

"But it's freezing!"

"Don't you love the beach at night though?"

"I do…you're just going to have to hold me, then, to keep me warm"

"It would be my pleasure" Lucas said, helping her up and pulling her into a hug.

"What went wrong the first time we tried this?" Brooke asked as they walked down the beach.

"Tried what?"

"Us"

"I went wrong" Lucas laughed.

"That's true" Brooke laughed. She was glad they could laugh about it.

"But…never again" Lucas said. "I love you too much to loose you"

"Really?"

"Really…I mean that" Lucas said, pulling her into a passionate kiss. For the first time in their young lives of 18, Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis were madly in love.

**A/N: LOL since I took forever to update I'm being nice and putting up chapters like crazy…Okay so I'm loving this Brucas fluffiness a lot, but I need some DRAMA ideas…so ideas? REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6

Senior year was going by faster than Brooke, Lucas, Nathan, Haley, Peyton, or Jake cared for it to go. They were all in simultaneous agreement that life needed to slow down.

It was almost Christmastime and everyone was frantically getting ready for their vacations. Haley and Nathan were going to Georgia to spend the holidays with her parents. Peyton, Larry, Jake, and Jenny were going to Colorado to go skiing. Brooke and Lucas were the only two who had absolutely nothing planned.

"Nice sweater, Broody" Brooke giggled, hugging him. He looked festive in the red and green sweater Karen had forced on him.

"It was mom all the way"

"I think you look handsome" Karen said.

"I agree" Brooke giggled.

"Mock all you want Brooke Davis" Lucas said.

"No, I really do think the reindeer is sexy"

"Mom…" Lucas whined.

"Lucas you are not 3 don't whine and if you whine I will give you something to do"

"Come on Broody we're just playing" Brooke giggled, standing on her tiptoes and kissing him. She breathed in slowly as she smelled the familiar smell of Lucas's cologne mixed with body wash and aftershave.

"I know…you look pretty" Lucas said, holding her at arms length and admiring her dress.

"Why thank you, I wanted to look good for your mom's party tonight"

"You always look good"

"Aw"

"I mean it, you're so beautiful" Lucas said, drawing her back to him and kissing her forehead. "And I have a surprise for you"

"OOH I love surprises!" Brooke giggled.

"You have to wait till the end of this night"

"Meanie"

"I'm good at being a meanie" Lucas laughed, kissing her.

"Karen, do you need any help?" Brooke asked.

"No sweetie everything is basically ready, thank you though"

"Of course" Brooke said. "And Lucas, I have a BIG surprise for you"

"Really big?"

"Almost as big as life" Brooke said softly.

"Well, I'm excited" Lucas smiled.

"You should be…you will be shocked" Brooke smiled, rubbing his back.

"Ok, Brooke and Lucas, quit being so cheesy and help me with the drinks" Karen laughed, handing each of them a tray.

"Lucas Scott, we have been under mistletoe for 15 minutes and you haven't kissed me?"

"Oops!" Lucas laughed, and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"Now THAT'S what I'm talking about" Brooke giggled. She saw Peyton walk in and she handed Lucas the tray and ran over to her.

"Peyton! I have to talk to you" Brooke said hurriedly.

"Okay, come over here…what's up?" Peyton asked.

"I'm pregnant"

"What?"

"I'm pregnant"

"When are you planning to tell Lucas?"

"Christmas Eve…"

"Which is in 5 days…"

"Yes"

"Brooke…are you scared?" Peyton asked, hugging her.

"Terrified"

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know…"

"You seem ok"

"I've had a week to mull over it and I've done some thinking and realizing and...I think I'm going to be ok" Brooke said with a wry smile. "I don't know about Lucas, though"

"Well, if you ever need to talk to anyone and if you decide to have and keep the baby, you know I'm always, always up for listening and babysitting, right?" Peyton asked.

"Right" Brooke said, hugging her. "Thanks best friend"

"Always" Peyton smiled and walked over to find Karen.

"What was that about?" Lucas asked Brooke when she returned.

"Girl talk"

"Ah…nothing I care about?"

"Nope" Brooke lied straight through her smile.

"Ok…I decided not to wait till the end of the night to break this to you, but…" Lucas said.

"But?" Brooke asked.

Lucas produced two tickets from his pocket.

"These are plane tickets…to France!" Brooke said. "Lucas…"

"You always wanted a Christmas in Paris, didn't you?"

"Oh, Lucas!" Brooke said, hugging him. "This is unbelievable!"

"Look at the itinerary" Lucas said.

"The RITZ CARLTON!" Brooke shrieked.

"Thank Dan…he said 'take the girl you love on her magical Christmas. Don't be like me' So I took the offer"

"Wow…" Brooke said, kissing Lucas. "This is amazing…we leave in 3 days!"

"Yep" Lucas said, hugging her. "I'm excited Brooke, I know we haven't gotten to spend a lot of time together lately and…"

"Thank you, Lucas" Brooke said, standing on her tiptoes and kissing him.

"Hey lovers" Haley said, coming up to them.

"HALEY! You look so pretty" Brooke said, hugging her.

"Yeah miss Paris" Haley said.

"You KNEW?"

"Of course I knew I'm Luke's best friend" Haley giggled.

"You didn't TELL ME?" Brooke giggled, hugging her. She was glad she was going to France, she really was. But wasn't this money Dan had given Lucas better saved for the baby?

"Lucas, I actually have to talk to you real fast" Brooke said, making a quick executive decision. There was still time to cancel these tickets.

"Ok…" Lucas said when he got dragged off to the side.

"I'm pregnant"

"WHAT?"

"I'm pregnant"

"You're sure?"

"Went to the doctors"

"Brooke…I…" Lucas was at a loss for words.

"I know, I'm sorry"

"Don't apologize, Brooke" Lucas said. "You can't do anything about it"

"I know I just…don't know how it happened, we were so careful…"

"Brooke…" Lucas said, sighing and pulling her into a hug.

"I wanted to tell you before Paris incase you wanted to return the tickets and save the money cause…"

"You wanna keep the baby?" Lucas asked.

"Of course I do! I would never have an abortion!" Brooke cried. "Or give my child up for adoption!"

"I know, I know, I was just checking" Lucas said, rubbing his temples.

"So…" Brooke said.

"What are we going to do?"

"Are you planning to be in this baby's life at all?" Brooke asked snappishly. Lucas was giving her absolutely no feedback.

"Of course!" Lucas said, a little shocked. "Did you think I wasn't going to be?"

"No, I was just making sure" Brooke said. Now tears were stinging the back of her eyes. She was 18! With a baby on the way! She was supposed to party the next four years away!

"Brooke, please don't cry" Lucas said, pulling her close to him and letting her bury her head in his chest. "It'll be ok"

"How can you say that, Lucas?" Brooke sobbed. "It'll never be the same. We're 18!"

"I know, but we can't do anything about it now…we're just going to have to adjust"

"I can't believe this is happening" Brooke sobbed. "I knew last week, and I thought I was ok with it and then I told you and…"

"We're still going to Paris" Lucas said firmly. "We're in for a hell of…well, 18 years with this baby. We better have a nice, long vacation"

"What am I going to do?"

"Brooke Penelope Davis" Lucas said, taking both her hands in his. "I promise you with all my heart and all my soul…we WILL be ok. I know we're young. I know we don't have any money. But by God, I love you and I love this baby already. I am not going to leave you alone in this situation, ok?"

Brooke just cried harder but there was a faint trace of a smile on her face.

"Brooke don't cry, that's not gonna do any good" Lucas said. "You know we'll be ok…we'll pull through it"

"Me? Brooke Davis, the slut cheerleader…a MOTHER? I'm like completely incompetent, Lucas! Doesn't matter if I have the baby, child services will take it away anyway…you know I cant do this!" Brooke wailed.

"I know you CAN. You can do anything you set your mind to" Lucas said. "And Brooke, you've gotta be strong. This isn't going to be easy at all"

"What about college?" Brooke asked. "How are we going to do that?"

"Brooke…we will figure it out after Paris…for now, enjoy being young…and in love…and happy" Lucas said, grabbing her around the waist. "Dance with me?"

Brooke wiped her tears and smiled. "It would be my pleasure"

**A/N: I haven't gotten any reviews from you guys ( This is a twisty chapter, so I expect lots of reviews! Lol REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 7

"Here you go babe" Lucas said, handing Brooke her Starbucks coffee. She yawned and closed her eyes. It was 6:30 in the morning and they were at the airport. Their flight had gotten delayed 3 hours so they were stuck at the La Guardia airport in New York till 9:30.

"Thanks" Brooke said, burying her face in his arm. "How long till we get there?"

"Brooke…"

"I'm sorry…" Brooke said, yawning and turning her iPod up.

"What are you listening to?" Lucas asked, nestling close to her and breathing in the scent of her shampoo and conditioner and perfume. She smelled fruity and clean and for some reason it made his heart skip a beat.

"Britney" Brooke giggled.

"Brooke Davis, you will corrupt my child as soon as you can, wont you?" Lucas asked, making one of the first references to the baby in a couple of days.

"Of course" Brooke smiled up at him. They had told Karen and after some tears and hugs and such, they were all at terms with it. It's not like they could change it now, right?

"Are you excited about Paris?" Lucas asked.

"Of course I am!" Brooke said. "I'm really happy that you decided on this trip, Lucas…thank you"

"Of course" Lucas said, kissing the side of her head softly and wrapping his arms around her. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"Yes" Brooke giggled, kissing him.

"We're so cheesy" Lucas laughed.

"Let's think of baby names!" Brooke giggled.

"Well we don't know the gender"

"Let's choose one for each gender" Brooke said.

"Okay" Lucas laughed.

_Meanwhile…_

"So, Nathan, how's Haley treating you?" Haley's dad asked, winking.

"Dad!"

"Its fine" Nathan laughed. "It's going good, sir"

"Boy, don't call me sir" Haley's dad reprimanded playfully. "I'm not your boss I'm your father in law"

"Sorry" Nathan laughed, scratching his neck and looking up at Haley, who was giggling to herself.

"So how do you like this house of ours?" her dad asked.

"The RV, dad?" she asked, laughing.

"No, no, the actual house" he laughed, pointing to the house they were pulling up to.

"Oh my god, Dad, that's like a MANSION!" Haley shrieked as she saw the blue-gray stucco house.

"Well, your mom and I had some money left over" he winked. "And when we die, this is all yours"

"Not Taylor's?"

"Hurricane Taylor? Never" her dad said jokingly. "But seriously, you're my most responsible and hardworking child, you deserve this house more than anyone"

"Too bad it's in Georgia" Haley sighed. "Or we could just move in"

"6 bedrooms 5 baths, one half bath, a tanning room, a separate spa area and a pool and 2 stories"

"Wow…" Nathan laughed. "Hales, we're moving here eventually even if we have to leave North Carolina"

"Oh yeah" Haley giggled. "Daddy! I can't believe it!"

"You better believe it missy because there's your mother waving from the front porch"

"MOM!" Haley shrieked, running to give her mother a hug. Nathan smiled inwardly at Haley and climbed out serenely after her.

"Now Hales, where your delicious husband?" her mom asked.

"Mom!"

"I'm here…hi Mrs. James" Nathan laughed, hugging her.

"Okay I have dinner made come on you guys are gonna freeze!"

* * *

"Lucas I hate airplanes" Brooke whined as they boarded the plane.

"Just go to sleep then" Lucas said, looking down the rows of seats to see where their seat was.

"Ok you can be my pillow" Brooke giggled.

"Sure" Lucas laughed, hugging her and kissing the top of her head.

"This is going to be a long flight, huh?"

"Very long" Lucas said. "I'm already falling asleep"

"I thought I was gonna do the sleeping" Brooke giggled.

"I might be sleeping too" Lucas laughed.

"This is our seat" Brooke said, sliding in and yawning. "Yay for first class"

"Definitely"

"Lucas?" Brooke asked.

"Yes?"

"Will you read me boring poetry and stroke my hair so I'll fall asleep?"

"Of course"

**A/N: Reviews would be nice. I've gotten like three.**


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm a bloody genius" Brooke giggled.

"Why?" Lucas asked, looking up from unpacking.

"Because I figured out what 'la ville de Paris' means!"

"The city of Paris?"

"How did you know that, Lucas? You took Spanish freshman year!" Brooke whined.

"How do you know THAT?" Lucas asked.

"Umm…ok translate this mister: tour Eiffel"

"The Eiffel tower?" Lucas asked, laughing. "Brooke, that's just obvious stuff"

"How come I suck at French?" Brooke pouted. Lucas laughed and pulled her into a hug.

"You don't suck at French" Lucas laughed.

"You're gonna have to talk for me"

"I promise I will make sure you get a good deal on all of those expensive purses you want" Lucas laughed.

"Good" Brooke giggled. "I love France; it's always been my dream country to visit"

"Glad you came?" Lucas asked, wrapping his arm around her.

"Of course! Lucas, this is perfect for us and…" Brooke giggled, touching her forehead to his. "It's so romantic"

"I knew you were gonna say that" Lucas laughed, kissing her. "Now get ready, the tour bus leaves in an hour"

"Oh gosh" Brooke said, running to the bathroom.

Lucas watched her race on her tiptoes to the bathroom and smiled to himself. He was glad he had brought Brooke to Paris. She deserved it.

_Meanwhile…_

"Nathan my parents are in the house!" Haley giggled.

"They're never gonna hear us in this gigantic mansion"

"STILL its weird to have sex when you're parents are in the same house!"

Nathan pouted and kissed her.

"No, Nathan" Haley giggled and wriggled out of his grasp. "Lets play a board game"

"Let's play a board game? Or have sex?" Nathan asked.

"You are a horny little boy, aren't you?" Haley giggled.

"That I am…" Nathan laughed.

* * *

"Look, Lucas, it's the Eiffel Tower!" Brooke shrieked.

"Yeah" Lucas laughed at Brooke snapping away with her digital camera.

"Hey, what are you laughing at?" Brooke asked.

"You're such a cute tourist" Lucas laughed. "I couldn't help it"

"Shut up Lucas how many times am I going to be in Paris in my lifetime? Probably only once!" Brooke said.

"I know, I know…" Lucas laughed, snaking his arms around her waist.

"You've gotta kiss me under the Eiffel Tower" Brooke said. "It's only a must that we do so"

"Ok…" Lucas said, pulling her into a kiss.

"Yay, I got a picture!" Brooke giggled.

"What?" Lucas laughed. "You have an obsession with kissing people and taking pictures of it, don't you?"

"Yep" Brooke giggled. "I'm hungry"

"Ok, let's go get us some French food" Lucas laughed.

A few hours later and many tourist sites later, Brooke and Lucas collapsed on the soft bed.

"So" Lucas said, stroking her hair as they lay there. "You're not too tired, right? I mean, with the baby and everything?" Lucas asked.

"No, I'm only a couple weeks pregnant, Lucas" Brooke laughed. "I won't be tired and hormonal for another 3 or 4 weeks"

"Good" Lucas laughed.

"Yeah" Brooke whispered. "Are you scared?"

"Terrified" Lucas said. "It scares the hell out of me to think about being such a young father"

"Are you excited?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, kind of" Lucas said.

"Would you rather it not be happening?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, much rather" Lucas replied without thinking.

"Oh, ok, so you'd rather I have an abortion?" Brooke asked, heating up.

"No, no, that's not what I meant!"

"Ok, so you'd rather not have fallen in love with me and then slept with me"

"No, Brooke!" Lucas said. "I'd rather you hadn't gotten pregnant"

"So you regret sleeping with me?"

"No, I don't…" Lucas said. "Why are you haranguing me to within an inch of my sanity? Name a single 18 year old boy who wants a baby!" Lucas said.

"You know what, Lucas? No 18 year old boy wants a baby, but I've also learned and now you've demonstrated that no 18 year old cares about who he gets pregnant and what happens to her or his kid" Brooke shouted, getting off the bed and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Lucas asked, sitting up.

"Outside!" Brooke snapped.

"You're going to freeze, Brooke, its like below zero!" Lucas said.

"Why would you care what happens to me?" Brooke demanded.

"Don't be stupid you know I care" Lucas said.

"And telling me you wish I'd never gotten pregnant is a good way of showing that, Lucas" Brooke spat, grabbing her coat and flouncing out of the door. Lucas shook his head and rubbed his eyes. The hormones must start early.

"Brooke!" he called after her. "Brooke!"

Brooke ran down the hallway and up to the stairs that led to the roof. She climbed noisily up the stairs, the tears now starting to flow. She got to the roof and sat down, leaning against the wall.

"My, my, Brooke Davis, what is making you so upset?" a familiar oily voice asked.

"Felix?"

**A/N: Review!**


	9. Chapter 9

"That would be me" Felix said, plopping down next to her.

"What are you doing here?" Brooke asked.

"I'm here on vacation with Anna and our parents" Felix said. He had obviously changed a lot since their last encounter. His clothes weren't flashy, his hair was combed and he was sporting glasses.

"Oh…I'm here with Lucas" Brooke said.

"Honeymoon?" Felix joked.

"Just a trip" Brooke said, wiping her tears.

"What's the matter?" Felix asked.

"We just had an argument"

"Oh" Felix nodded. "I see…so what's new with you?"

"I'm pregnant" Brooke said with a little sarcastic laugh. "And Lucas basically said he didn't want the baby"

"I'm sure he didn't say that" Felix said. "And…wow"

"Yeah…and wow right back at you…why aren't you insulting Lucas right and left?" Brooke asked.

"Because…I don't know. He was like a speck in my life" Felix laughed. "I've forgotten Tree Hill"

"Did you forget me?" Brooke teased.

"Never" Felix laughed. "I would never forget you"

"Aw" Brooke laughed. "So do you like France?"

"Yeah, actually, we're thinking about moving here"

"You and your family?"

"No…my wife and I"

_Meanwhile…_

"It's Christmas Eve!" Haley sang, dancing around with her niece.

"It's Christmas Eve!" three year old Lilly James sang.

"Yes, Miss Lilly come over here so I can brush your hair" Cordelia, Haley's sister in law, said.

"Can Auntie Haley brush my hair?"

"Of course" Cordelia said, tossing the brush to Haley, who tickled Lilly and plopped her down on her lap.

"Uncle Nathan!" Lilly giggled when he came in. She was the first niece/grandchild of the James' family and was thoroughly spoiled.

"Silly Lilly" Nathan laughed. "Hi!"

"Hi!" Lilly giggled. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"It's Christmas Eve!"

"That it is" Nathan said, shooting a glance at Haley and making her blush. They had a Christmas Eve ritual. It involved a lot of whipped cream.

* * *

"Your wife?" Brooke asked, surprised.

"Yep" Felix said. "She's here, too"

"Oh…what's her name?"

"Amanda"

"Oh…" Brooke said. "When did you guys get married?"

"Last week, this is actually our honeymoon"

"Oh…well, I suppose congratulations are in order"

"Yeah…I met her while I was working"

"Oh…well, I wish you guys best of luck" Brooke said.

"Lucas will be worried" Felix said. "And I should go back to Amanda"

"Yeah…well…it was nice seeing you" Brooke said.

"Definitely" Felix said, giving her a hug. "See you around?"

"Maybe, if I come back and visit France" Brooke giggled.

"Yeah" Felix laughed. "Brooke?"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck with the…baby and everything"

"Thanks" Brooke smiled as he left the roof top. She sighed and leaned her head back against the wall and replayed her and Lucas's argument. She realized she had sounded completely unreasonable. He had never said he didn't want the baby, and what sane person wished for a baby at 18? Guilt started to creep over her as she realized she might have ruined their vacation.

"Oh my god! Brooke! There you are I was so worried!" Lucas said, bursting through the door leading to the roof.

Brooke stood up quickly and ran over to hug him. "Lucas, I'm sorry I know I was being unreasonable"

"No I was being an ass" Lucas said, hugging her tighter. "I'm so sorry, Brooke, I don't want to ruin our vacation"

"I know" Brooke said. "I'm really sorry, Luke, I was seriously overreacting"

"It's ok" Lucas whispered, kissing her softly.

"I'm just scared" Brooke said, the waterworks starting. "I'm scared of the future, I'm scared that you're going to leave me and this trip just made me realize even more how much I love you and I don't want to lose you, Lucas"

"Whoa, whoa, why would you ever think that I'm going to leave you?" Lucas said. "Brooke, I will ALWAYS be here for you and the baby, you know that"

"How…why?" Brooke sobbed. "I just don't want this to be happening"

"Yeah but we can't change it, can we?"

"No" Brooke pouted.

"Brooke you'll be fine" Lucas said, pulling her close and resting his chin on top of her head.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I'll be there with you every step of the way"

"Promise?"

"Promise"

**A/N: Reviews would be nice!**


	10. Chapter 10

Two long years had passed for Brooke and Lucas. They were now entering their last semester of their sophomore year in college. However, they weren't entering alone. They had a little present- 1 year old Audrina Lindsey Scott, who both Brooke and Lucas claimed was a baby genius.

They all went to UNC- Haley and Nathan, too. Peyton had tried Savannah College of Art and Design but things had fallen apart badly with Jake, and she had come home to the people she knew loved her.

Brooke and Lucas had a surprisingly large house that was given to them by Brooke's father, who felt extremely guilty for the 20 years he had lost with Brooke. It had been a total and complete (and good) surprise.

"The Davis-Scott mansion" Haley rolled her eyes and followed Brooke in.

"Well, technically, it's the Daddy Davis mansion" Brooke giggled, tossing the keys on the counter and pulling out water for her and Haley.

"Mama!" Audrina shouted, toddling towards Brooke at high speed.

"My baby!" Brooke giggled, picking her up and swinging her around.

"This is like an after school special" Haley groaned, plopping down on the couch.

"Boyfriend…" Brooke whined.

"Hey babe" Lucas said, kissing her. "How was class?"

"All I can say is thank god its Friday" Brooke said.

"That bad?"

"Not so much bad as BORING" Brooke said. "Did Audrina eat?"

"Yeah" Lucas said.

"Mama?" Audrina asked, tugging on Brooke's pant leg.

"I'll be right with you Audrina after I talk to your sexy daddy" Brooke giggled kissing Lucas again.

"When am I going to get that massage that you promised me?" he asked, kissing her back.

"Soon" Brooke said. "Ok munchkin what's up?"

"Go!"

"Go where?" Brooke asked.

"Go!" Audrina giggled, dragging Brooke to her toy room.

"Audrina! That's so good!" Brooke gushed at the tower of blocks she had put together.

"Brooke, they're blocks" Haley laughed.

"But they're my baby's blocks" Brooke said, grabbing Audrina and tickling her. "Right Audrina?"

"Yeah" Audrina giggled, climbing all over Brooke and messing with her hair.

"Come on kiddo lets leave mommy alone" Lucas laughed, prying Audrina off of Brooke and chasing her all the way to her room.

"I'm worried about Peyton" Brooke sighed, plopping down on the couch. "She's been so beat up over this Jake thing. I can't believe him- 'I still love Nikki'? Since WHEN?"

"I don't think he said that and meant it- I think he said that and he's trying to hide something" Haley said.

"You and your conspiracy theories…" Brooke giggled. "Lucas Scott, get your hot heiny in here and bring munchkin with you!" she called.

"Mama!" Audrina giggled, trying to run away from Lucas.

"Lucas have you been tickling her to death?" Brooke laughed, letting Audrina climb in her lap and hide.

"Maybe…what's for dinner?"

"You"

"I'm for dinner?" Lucas asked, laughing.

"I don't know why I said that…do I have to cook?" Brooke whined, kissing Lucas again.

"I have to go" Haley said, getting up. "I will see you lovebirds tomorrow, ok? Be good! Bye Audrina, drive them crazy!"

"Bye Haley!" Brooke and Lucas chorused.

"Alone at last" Lucas said, kissing the top of Brooke's head.

"Lucas?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll be together forever?"

"Of course…why do you ask?" Lucas asked.

"Nathan and Haley fell apart and then recovered…Peyton and Jake totally fell apart…and they loved each other too" Brooke said, looking up at Lucas.

"Nothing will happen to us" Lucas said, wrapping his arms tighter around her. "Absolutely nothing"

_Meanwhile…_

"It just drives me absolutely crazy! They live so irresponsibly! Having water fights and pie eating contests and constantly going shopping! They have a daughter that relies on them for food and water and care and love!" Karen said heatedly, scrubbing the counter of the café viciously.

"Karen" Deb said gently. "They're doing absolutely fine. Audrina is well fed and taken care of. I've never seen someone show as much love as Brooke does to her. They're the picture of a perfectly family"

"What's missing is some good sense and a wedding ring" Karen snapped. "I don't know why that boy wont propose to her but Audrina's gonna be a wedlock child and I don't want my granddaughter to be that way! I know how I felt when people gave Lucas and me that look! I don't want her to go through that!"

"Look at what a nice boy Lucas turned out to be" Deb pointed out. "He's a loving father and boyfriend to Brooke, he's supporting them-"

"They're living off of Brooke's father's money!"

"So what?" Deb said. "They're doing fine. Both Brooke and Lucas work and they work hard. They both study and Lucas plays basketball. Karen they're trying to make the best of their situation and they're doing a good job. After all, they're 19!"

"I know but it just doesn't seem right…" Karen sighed. "I want Lucas to be happy and well off with a nice house and a nice wife and everything I couldn't give him"

"I know you do, Karen, but he's on his own now- you can just be the observant and SILENT grandmother" Deb said, patting her shoulder.

_At Brooke and Lucas's…_

"Hello?" Brooke asked into the phone that had had rung three times before she had sighed and picked it up. "Nathan?"

"Brooke- Haley's in the hospital"

**A/N: Review! I won't be able to update for like a week or so, leave me lots of nice reviews! Sorry it took so long!**


	11. Chapter 11

Brooke nearly forgot Audrina in the rush she was in. Grabbing her daughter and quickly strapping her into her stroller, Brooke hurriedly pushed the stroller towards the entrance of the hospital.

"LUCAS hurry up!" Brooke yelled, the tears already building in her eyes.

"Brooke" Lucas said. "Brooke" he grabbed her arm. "Brooke, listen to me. You need to be strong. We both do. Nathan-and Haley-need us now, ok?"

"I know" Brooke said, her voice trembling. "I'm so scared, Lucas, what if something goes wrong?"

It had been three weeks since Haley had been found collapsed on her bathroom floor by Nathan. After going to a couple of doctors, the diagnosis had been reached- an advanced form of mitral valve prolapse, known as mitral valve regurgitation.

Haley's mother, grandmother, and great grandmother had all been victims of this disease, but had never had it checked out. And now, Haley had fallen victim to it, the disease growing over the years without her knowledge and eventually settling into mitral valve regurgitation.

Mitral valve regurgitation is a disease that is not rare but hardly common in Haley's young age. Almost 21 and one of her heart valves was so diseased that it had squeezed shut, "regurgitating" the blood back into the heart. It had caused a minor heart attack. She had to have a valve replaced, and today was surgery day.

A worried and terrified Brooke had promised Haley she'd be there when she went into the surgery room.

"Nothing will go wrong" Lucas said, hugging Brooke close. "I know this is hard and I know we're all worried, but she'll be ok"

"And Nathan-" Brooke said.

"I know" Lucas said. "Mom's gonna come and take Audrina soon so we wont have to worry about her and Andy will watch her"

"Okay" Brooke whispered.

Brooke and Lucas entered the hospital and reached the right floor in five minutes.

"Nathan" Brooke said, letting go of the stroller and running over to hug him.

"I'm so worried" Nathan choked out, his tear stained face wrinkled with anxiety.

"I know" Brooke said. "I am too. The doctors said that it would be okay, that they've done it before"

"But there's something else" Nathan said.

"What?"

"She's pregnant" Nathan said.

"Oh my god" Brooke said. "And what's gonna happen to the baby?"

"They don't know" Nathan said, rubbing his eyes.

"Nathan…"

"Haley!" Brooke said, seeing Haley lying on the bed that was being wheeled towards Brooke.

"Brooke" Haley croaked.

"Haley, you'll be ok. I'll be here the entire time, ok?"

"Ok" Haley said, closing her eyes. "Nathan?"

"Yeah?"

"Always and forever"

_3 hours later…_

"Audrina…mommy will be back soon" Brooke said, sighing and handing a whimpering Audrina to Karen.

"Hey you wanna come with Grandma?" Karen cooed, kissing Audrina and taking her to her car. "Say bye mommy"

"Bye" Audrina said tearfully.

"Bye baby I'll be back soon" Brooke said, turning and walking at a fast pace back to the hospital.

"Brooke" Nathan and Lucas both stood up when she hurried in.

"What happened?"

"She's stable!" Nathan said.

"And the baby?" Brooke asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"Lost" Nathan said, looking down at his feet.

"Oh…Nathan…" Brooke said, hugging him.

"At least Haley's okay" Nathan said, sitting back down and rubbing his bloodshot eyes.

"Yeah" Brooke said. "When is she coming out of the operating room?"

"In like 15 minutes and then she'll rest and we can go see her" Nathan said.

"Okay" Brooke said. "You should go home and get something to eat, Nate" Brooke said.

"No, I wanna stay here"

"Nathan…you have to eat"

"I'm not hungry"

"Nathan…"

"Fine" Nathan shook his head, a small smile spreading across his face. "You've really become a mother since Audrina, haven't you?"

"I have" Brooke smiled. "Motherhood really changes you"

"Yeah, it would've changed Haley too if I hadn't caused her a heart attack"

"Nathan!" Brooke chided. "You cant possibly be blaming yourself for this!"

"I am" Nathan said.

"Nathan this was in NO WAY your fault" Brooke said.

"It was. I was the one who drove her mad with all my complaining and nagging. I was the one who didn't have enough time for her and wouldn't listen. And now I caused her this" Nathan said, dropping his head in his hands.

"That's not true" Lucas said. "Nathan…we all fight and we all cause each other stress but you didn't mean to and you DEFINITELY didn't have a part to play in this"

"He's right" Brooke said. "Don't be so hard on yourself"

"I'll try" Nathan laughed. "Thank you guys for being here"

"No problem" Brooke said, hugging him.

* * *

"Audrina, baby, what are you doing?" Brooke asked, laughing.

"Soup!"

"Baby, that's not soup that a mix of potato peels and pepper" Brooke laughed.

"Eat?" Audrina offered.

"Mommy's not hungry, baby" Brooke said, pushing the bowl away and grabbing Audrina. "Mommy just wants to tickle Audrina" Brooke giggled, tickling her.

"Daddy…" Audrina giggled, stretching her arms out, asking to be rescued.

"That's what you get for not giving me a good morning kiss, young lady" Lucas teased.

"I's sorry!" Audrina giggled loudly.

"Brooke leave my baby girl alone" Lucas laughed, grabbing Audrina from Brooke.

"Fine, poopy head"

"Looks like you and Audrina have switched places" Lucas said, helping Brooke up and kissing her softly.

"We are such a cheesy family, aren't we?" Brooke asked, kissing him back.

"We are…and I wouldn't have it any other way"

**A/N: Sorry it took so long! Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry it took so long! Nice and long this time! Dont forget to review!**

"Brooke! Brooke get up we overslept!" Lucas yelled.

"What time is it?"

"9:45" Lucas said hurriedly.

"Oh my god!" Brooke shrieked. "Class is gonna start in 20 minutes!"

"I know and practice is in 15" Lucas said.

A wail came from inside the nursery and Brooke jumped out of bed and ran to Audrina's room.

"Mommy…" Audrina was whimpering and rubbing her ear.

"Baby, are you sick?" Brooke asked, feeling the baby's forehead, which answered her question with a resounding _yes_. "Uh oh…Lucas…Audrina's sick!"

Lucas hurried into the room to examine the sick child. "This is the first time she's ever gotten sick"

"I know" Brooke bit her lip nervously. "I'm scared"

"I gotta go baby I'm gonna get kicked off the team if I don't show up on time today" Lucas said, kissing Brooke and Audrina quickly. "Feel better princess!"

"No! Lucas, don't leave me with your sick child!" Brooke shouted.

"Brooke, I gotta go!"

"Lucas!"

"Bye!"

"This is unbelievable" Brooke slammed her hand on the dresser and seethed. But when she looked over at Audrina, it wasn't the pain of slamming her hand down that caused her eyes to tear. It was the look on Audrina's face that clearly asked _'Did I do something wrong?' _"Oh baby" Brooke said, picking up her sick daughter and kissing her. "It's not your fault you're sick, don't think even for a second that mommy's mad at you for that, ok?"

Audrina, understanding most of what Brooke had just said (being the baby genius that she was), nodded and buried her tear stained face in Brooke's neck.

"Okay I guess it'll be a mommy and Audrina day at home, huh?" Brooke asked, rummaging through the medicine cabinet for Tylenol.

The phone rang and Brooke picked it up. "Hello?"

"Brooke, this is your mother"

"Mom? Why are you calling me?"

"I want to talk to you" she told Brooke, sighing.

"Where are you?"

There was a knock on the door.

"MOM?" Brooke said in disbelief as she looked at the thin, tired looking woman standing there.

"Hi, Brooke…and is this your daughter?" her mother's face lit up at the sight of Audrina, who was cuddled in Brooke's arms.

"Yeah, Audrina" Brooke said. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you" she said.

"About?"

"Us"

"There's nothing to talk about" Brooke said.

"Can I at least come in?" she asked.

"Oh…yeah" Brooke said, letting her mother in and shaking her head in disbelief.

"I'm sorry…I came to apologize for all those years-"

"Yeah, mom, all those years of completely ignoring me, throwing cash at my face, and being the worst possible mother on the planet? You know, now that I have Audrina I can't imagine a mother treating her child like that!"

"I know, I know" her mother rubbed her eyes. "Your father…left"

"For a younger 20 something?" Brooke guessed.

"Uh...yeah"

"Well, I suppose it's what you deserved" Brooke said.

"I suppose so" her mother said. For the first time in her entire life, she didn't look vicious or scrutinizing. She looked like…a mom. "How old is Audrina?" she asked, changing the subject.

"A year and a half, right baby?" Brooke asked, tickling her.

"Yeah!" Audrina giggled.

"She's beautiful"

"Thanks" Brooke said. "I think so too. Unlike what you thought of me"

"Oh Brooke you were the prettiest baby" her mother said. "You had big green eyes and brown curly locks. I know it's surprising now because you have such straight hair but they were as curly as goldilocks' curls" her mother reminisced. "I didn't get to spend much time with you, your dad had a charity ball the next evening and I had to sleep so I'd be able to at least sit up the next day. But I rushed home every night, told your dad I was going to go exercise, and went to be with you. Overtime your father's toxic ways seeped into me and I became the woman he wanted me to be- someone to parade, a thin pretty trophy wife who had a child somewhere but didn't really care to ask what was happening with her. And I'm sorry I became that way, even though it was my fault I let him do that to me- but now, I want to apologize. I heard you had a daughter and, well, I came to say I'm sorry"

"That was heartfelt, mom" Brooke said. "Now get out"

"Brooke"

"Leave!" Brooke said. "Mom, do you think one apology will change all of that? And why should I believe you? How do I know you're not trying to set me up with someone else?"

"Brooke I honestly wasn't. I thought you and Lucas were married" her mother said.

"No, we're not married or engaged" Brooke said. "But we have a daughter and we have a house and we have food on our table and we're both working on our college degree and Lucas is doing great with the team and Mom, we're HAPPY. So why don't you just leave us alone?"

"Okay" her mother pursed her lips. "I'll go. I just came to apologize"

"Just go" Brooke sighed.

"Bye!" Audrina giggled, letting her pacifier fall to the floor.

"Chipmunk, you have really got to stop throwing this on the floor" Brooke giggled, tickling Audrina. "Mom, what are you still doing here?"

"Brooke…I know you don't wanna talk to me, but can I please just get to know my granddaughter?"

"Why should I let you do that? So she'll come back hating her mother?" Brooke asked.

"No…please? Can I take her to the park?"

"Okay, she hates parks and I don't want you turning her to child services. And she's sick" Brooke said. "Now please, just GO"

"Brooke, do you think I'm some sort of villain?" her mother asked.

"Pretty much, yeah" Brooke said. "Before I call the police, mom"

"Okay" her mother said, opening the door. "But consider"

"Mom…"

Her mother left and Brooke watched hidden as she got into her car and sat there for a minute, studying her hands. _Had she been too harsh on her mother?_

* * *

"I'm home" Lucas announced, walking in. "Where's my chipmunk?"

"Asleep" Brooke said shortly.

"How is she feeling?"

"Fine"

"Brooke?"

"Yes?"

"What's the matter?" Lucas asked, sitting down next to her.

"Nothing"

"Come on…I know something's wrong" Lucas said, wrapping his arm around her.

"Nothing is wrong, Lucas! You would know if you were home!" she said shrilly.

"Come on, Brooke…don't do this. You know I had to go" Lucas said.

"Yeah, but you didn't even ask how _my_ day went" Brooke said.

"I'm sorry…how did it go?"

"I don't think you really care" Brooke said, getting up. "I'm going to bed"

"Brooke!"

"Lucas I don't feel like arguing"

"Ok, you don't feel like arguing, but you always start it!" Lucas said.

"Oh, _I_ always start the arguments. I'm just SO difficult" Brooke said sarcastically.

"You ARE!" Lucas shouted. "I can't even have a normal conversation with you anymore you're ALWAYS ON MY CASE!"

"Well maybe it's because you never help around the house and I'm too stressed out and tired to have a normal conversation!" Brooke yelled.

"Brooke, I have school AND basketball!"

"But you also have a responsibility as a father and as a member of this family! I have school, too!" Brooke yelled.

"I know that, Brooke. I try" Lucas said.

"Obviously not hard enough" Brooke snapped. "We're two completely different people with completely different interests!"

"Ok, so we are"

"So if we're so different maybe we should see different people!"

"Maybe we should! It's obviously what you want" Lucas snapped.

"FINE!" Brooke yelled, stomping into their room. "YOU can sleep in the living room!"

"Fine!" Lucas yelled stomping into their room after her, and grabbing his pillow and an extra blanket.

"Mommy?" Brooke heard Audrina call sleepily.

"Great job Lucas, you woke her up" Brooke snapped, going to the baby's room. "How're you feeling baby?" she asked, feeling her forehead. "Oh, looks like we're feeling better, huh?"

"Yeah" Audrina giggled.

"Good" Brooke said, tickling her.

_The next morning…_

"Come on, Brooke, be reasonable!" Lucas said. "I didn't actually mean what I said last night"

"I did" Brooke said.

"Brooke…baby…"

"Don't 'baby' me" Brooke pouted.

"Brooke" Lucas laughed. "Come here" he held his arms open. Brooke reluctantly came over to give him a hug. "I'm sorry, I was unreasonable and I should help out more…and I suck"

"No you don't…I was PMSing" Brooke giggled, kissing him. "All good?"

"All good"

**A/N: I know this was an all Brooke and Lucas chapter but I just love them so much lol…more Naley laterrrr! Review!**


	13. Chapter 13

Many days, weeks, and months passed for Brooke and Lucas monotonously. They were both hard at work at their degrees and Lucas was being seriously considered by the Cleveland Cavaliers coach.

Before they knew it, it was March of their third year of college. Audrina was a bubbling, happy, energetic 2 and a half year old, and Brooke and Lucas were both pushing 21.

"Daddy" Audrina giggled, climbing all over Lucas as he pored over his English assignment.

"Audrina, baby, you're messing up my poetry papers" Lucas laughed, prying her loose and tickling her.

"Lucas Eugene Scott!"

"Uh oh" Lucas laughed.

"Did you use my shampoo again?" Brooke said, coming in hurriedly. Motherhood and stress had done absolutely nothing to her stunning figure and flawless face. She was as pretty, if not prettier, than when Lucas had first fallen head over heels in love with her.

"No, babe, why would I use a shampoo called Fruit Passion?"

"I don't know, Lucas, maybe because you're a little gay?" Brooke suggested, giggling.

"Hey-!" Lucas didn't have time to protest because Audrina started giggling loudly. "What's so funny missy?"

"I's used it on Sasha!" Audrina giggled. "For her bath!"

"Audrina…" Brooke giggled. She couldn't help laughing as the little yorkie pranced her way into the room smelling like Brooke's Fruit Passion.

"She smells good now" Audrina giggled, hiding under a pillow.

"You little minion…you get tickled for being such a bad girl" Brooke said, laughing. She grabbed Audrina and started tickling her, causing the little girl to squeal with delight.

"Daddy…saves me…"

"Brooke don't torture my princess" Lucas said, not even looking up from his papers.

"Come on baby Daddy's being responsible and studying" Brooke giggled, sticking her tongue out at Lucas.

"Brooke" Lucas laughed and shook his head.

_Meanwhile…_

"Hey beautiful" Nathan whispered as Haley walked into their room after her early morning cardio. Haley was strong and healthy now, after lots of eating right, exercising, and taking it easy. It had been a long road, but she had recovered nicely. One thing had been devastating for her- she couldn't have children anymore. Nathan knew how much that upset her. He wished every day he could do something to end her unhappiness. It wasn't like Haley was depressed- she was chirpy and happy Haley as usual. She was just sad she couldn't have kids.

"Hi handsome" Haley said, plopping down on the bed with her nutrition bar. "So Brooke called me, they want us to come over later. She says Audrina hasn't seen her favorite aunt in forever and she's sad"

"Brooke really has changed, hasn't she?" Nathan said.

"Yeah" Haley said. "In a good way, though. Audrina had a lot to do with it"

"Yeah" Nathan said. "Look, Hales, I wanted to talk to you"

"About?"

"The kids situation…I wish everyday I could change it" Nathan said. "I know I can't-"

"Nathan, sweetheart, don't worry about it" Haley said a little sadly. "I'm fine"

"But Hales, I know you really want kids and I…I don't know what to say to you to make it better"

"Nathan" Haley said. "I love you for saying that, but we both know we can't do anything about it"

"I know" Nathan wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry"

"Don't be" Haley said. "Life goes on"

* * *

"I miss my mommy" Haley whined as she sat on Brooke's couch with Audrina in her lap.

"I don't really miss my mommy" Brooke laughed.

"Yeah I can't believe she just showed up like that…super weird" Haley said.

"She's psycho, she keeps calling" Brooke said, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe you should give her a chance, Brooke" Nathan said. "She is your mother"

"I know" Brooke sighed. "She seems to have changed but that woman will do anything to break me and Lucas apart and get Audrina sent away so she can marry me to one of her rich boys"

"But you love me better, right?" Lucas pouted.

"Of course" Brooke laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Mommy…" Audrina whined. "I's hungry"

"What do you want baby?"

"Ice cream!"

"Audrina…" Brooke said.

"Mommy I want ice cream!" Audrina whined.

"Audrina Lindsey I don't wanna fight with you again. No ice cream!"

"But mommy…"

"N-O NO Audrina" Brooke said.

"Fine" Audrina pouted. "Pasa?"

"You may have pasta" Brooke said. "Come with me to the kitchen"

"Aunt Haley comes too?"

"Sure" Haley laughed, getting up and following the little brunette into the kitchen.

"I's gonna have pasa!"

"It's her favorite thing to eat" Brooke laughed, heating it up.

"Ice cream betters"

"You can have that for desert munchkin" Brooke said. "Do you want me to feed you?"

"Yeah" Audrina giggled.

Lucas and Nathan were sitting in the living room. Nathan noticed Lucas was watching Brooke intently. As soon as her back turned, he motioned for Nathan to follow him outside.

"Where are you going, Broody?" Brooke asked.

"Oh…I'm gonna show Nathan the new…thing" Lucas said hurrying out the door. Haley and Brooke exchanged a glance.

"What is it dude?" Nathan asked.

"Ok, the Cavalier's coach called me" Lucas breathed in. "He wants me to be on the team"

"DUDE! That's freaking AWESOME" Nathan said.

"SHHH…I'd have to move to OHIO" Lucas said.

"When?"

"End of June"

"Dude…they're the CLEVELEND CAVALIERS"

"I know"

"What would your starting pay be?"

"4 million for the contract alone, additional depending on how I play"

"Dude…"

"I know and the coach really, really wants me" Lucas said. "He's been leaving messages"

"Damn, Luke, I'd be an idiot if I told you not to take this opportunity and run"

"I know…but what about Brooke? And Audrina? I mean Brooke is doing SO GOOD here and I know how badly she wants to be an interior designer and I just…"

"I know…have you talked to her yet? I mean she can go to college in Ohio"

"No I haven't talked to her" Lucas shook his head. "I don't know what to say…it would devastate her. Ohio is far and she's got everything to loose"

"She'll just have to decide what matters to her more" Nathan said. "Dude this is such a good opportunity"

"I know" Lucas sighed. "It's been keeping me up"

"You have to tell her"

"I know"

"LUCAS!" Brooke yelled. "Dinner!" she looked so happy and motherly in her apron with apples on it, it broke Lucas's heart. _Whatever happens, we wont break up_ he vowed.

"Coming babe" Lucas said. Nathan eyed him and they went into the house.

"Hey, you ok?" Brooke stopped Lucas as Nathan went ahead into the dining room.

"Yeah…you know I love you, right?"

"Of course"

**A/N: Review, please. I've gotten hardly any for the last few chapters.**


	14. Chapter 14

It was a Saturday morning and Brooke and Audrina were sitting on the couch munching on cheerios and watching cartoons. Lucas was in the shower and Brooke was messing with his phone, trying to get the phone to ring "Barbie Girl" when she called.

"3 new messages…hmm chipmunk lets see if Daddy's secret lover is calling" Brooke giggled, punching in the code.

"Hey, Lucas, its Haley call me about dinner at Chili's" the message played.

"Old" Brooke muttered, deleting it.

"Hey Lucas, this is Brandon call me about your decision, ok?" a male voice said.

"Decision? Hmm…" Brooke went to next message.

"Dude, you have GOT to call the Cav's coach back" Nathan's voice lectured. "Call me and tell me what you decided. Haley wants to know too"

"What is this?" Brooke said to herself. Just then, Lucas came out of the shower.

"Hey baby"

"Before you baby me" Brooke said. "I listened to your phone messages"

"Oh" Lucas said. _Here it comes_ he thought.

"What is this 'decision' that I don't know about?" Brooke demanded. "And the Cav's coach is calling you? Are you hiding something from me, Lucas?"

"Brooke…" Lucas sighed.

"No, don't 'Brooke' me" Brooke said. "I wanna know now"

"The Cav's coach wants me to join the team" Lucas said. "I'm practically guaranteed a spot if I move to Ohio by the end of June"

"Move…to Ohio?" Brooke's voice faltered. "This big of a decision and you weren't gonna tell me?"

"Brooke…I'm sorry I WAS" Lucas pleaded.

"But Nathan and Haley knew before your girlfriend"

"I told Nathan I didn't know he told Hales!"

"I cant believe something this BIG is happening and you wanted to hide it from me! Why?" Brooke asked.

"Brooke I know it would kill you to have to move to Ohio and…"

"I'm not moving" Brooke said plainly.

"Brooke this is SUCH a big opportunity"

"That would mean leaving my degree behind and moving Audrina and leaving my home and it's not gonna happen" Brooke said.

"You can't honestly say that" Lucas said. "This is a great opportunity for me, Brooke!"

"What about me and my degree and work?"

"There's colleges in Ohio and with my paycheck you wouldn't even have to work… you could stay home and spend lots of time with Audrina-"

"Lucas Scott, you better not be insinuating that I be a cookie baker mother! You know me and how I feel about that!"

"Brooke, baby please be reasonable"

"I'm not going to move!"

"It's a great place…four million dollars just for a contract, Brooke"

"Not happening" Brooke said.

"You know what, Brooke? This is ridiculous. This is such a great opportunity for me and you are being incredibly selfish" Lucas snapped.

"_I'm_ being incredibly selfish? Did you ever stop to think what would happen to Audrina if we moved her so far? I'd never see Haley or Peyton. Do you ever think about anyone but yourself?"

"Audrina is TWO, Brooke, she wont even REMEMBER Chapel Hill! I'm doing this for you and Audrina, so we can be more financially stable and so you can spend time with her at home"

"Because I am such a TERRIBLE mother that I don't do enough of that now?"

"NO Brooke" Lucas yelled. "This is absolutely RIDICULOUS! I can't believe this comes along and you're being so self centered. You wont see Peyton and Haley every hour of every day, big DEAL! Brooke we have a child we need to support!"

"Cant we do that here? In North Carolina?"

"It would be so much nicer in Ohio!"

"You can go to Ohio, Lucas"

"Are you saying we should break up?"

"I'm saying exactly that" Brooke said.

"Brooke…you aren't serious?"

"Dead serious" there was thunder in Brooke's eyes and her tone was ice cold. "If basketball means more to you than my happiness, then basketball is clearly what you should go after"

"Brooke you know you mean the world to me" Lucas pleaded. "I want to be with you"

"Then you'd stay here"

"And do WHAT? I cant flip burgers my entire life! This is the difference between 20,000 dollars a year and 4 million!"

"So now you want money over me?"

"No I just want you and Audrina to have everything you want. I want you to be able to buy nice things and I want Audrina to be able to get whatever she wants…Brooke"

"Lucas, you can't expect me to pick up and leave my home"

"Don't you wanna be with me?" Lucas asked.

"Of course I do!" tears quivered in her eyes. "But I can't leave!"

"You're so stubborn, Brooke, I can't believe it! Why can't you move with me? I understand it'll be hard, but it's not gonna be earth shattering!"

"I'm sorry Lucas" she whispered. "It's over"

**A/N: Super short chapter, I know. But I felt that I shouldn't crowd it too much. Reviews would be nice.**


	15. Chapter 15

"Dead serious?" Haley asked Brooke.

"Dead serious" Brooke confirmed. Her eyes were swollen and puffy from all the crying she had done. After lots of yelling, crying, and talking, Lucas and Brooke had ended their almost 6 year relationship.

Brooke knew she was being stubborn. But she was afraid. Ohio would mean Lucas being busy all the time and her not having any friends there. Ohio would mean new people, a new life, and she couldn't handle leaving home. She was too young to be doing this.

"Brooke, you have got to reconsider! What about Audrina? She'll miss her daddy so much!"

"She'll see Lucas" Brooke said. "If he comes down here"

"Brooke, you are being ridiculous. Babe I love you but you'd be living in such comfort and with the love of your life…sure, you'll miss North Carolina, but come ON!" Haley said.

"I came here for some sympathy, Haley, not another lecture" Brooke said. "I'll leave you to your work" she got up.

"I don't know what demon's possessed that woman!" Haley said to Nathan after Brooke left. "She's being so weird…she wouldn't normally act like this about moving!"

"She's scared" Nathan said. "She's leaving behind everything she knows and going with Lucas to a foreign place where she doesn't belong and I know Lucas and Brooke have raw passion for each other but they're also very different and she's unsure about their relationship. It's not easy on her, Hales"

"I never thought of it that way" Haley bit her lip.

_Meanwhile…_

At Brooke and Lucas's, a lot of packing was going on. Since the house was owned by Brooke, she didn't need to move out. She was being the best sport she could as she watched the love of her life packing. He had a sullen and depressed look on his face and anything basketball related he would look at for a moment, sigh, and put in a box.

"Do you need any help, Lucas?" Brooke asked. She hated the formality that had come between them.

"No, thanks though" Lucas said. Normally, Brooke would've been chugging diet sprites and Lucas would've been complaining about how lazy she was. But now, Brooke was sitting with her legs folded neatly looking down at her nails and lowering the TV volume incase it was bothering Lucas and Lucas was fully dressed, not his usual shirtless.

"I hate this" Brooke said. "What happened to us, Lucas?"

"I don't know" Lucas turned around and sighed. Sitting there looking tired and forlorn in her t-shirt and sweatpants with her curly mess of hair piled on top of her head, Lucas realized for the first time how beautiful his ex-girlfriend really was. "We were fine"

"No, Lucas, there were underlying issues" Brooke sighed. "I wish I didn't feel the way I do about all of us moving, but I do"

"I know…what about me seeing Audrina?" Lucas said.

"You know I would never stop you" Brooke said. "You're welcome here anytime"

"Yeah" Lucas smiled. "I really love you a lot, Brooke. Us not being together is going to take a lot of getting used to"

"I know it is…but this was bound to happen eventually, right?" Brooke said.

"Yeah" Lucas said, looking down. "So are we gonna set up some dates where you can fly up or I can fly down?"

"Yeah" Brooke said, fishing around behind the couch for the calendar.

"How about I come down the first and last weekend of every month and you can come in the middle?" Lucas asked.

"That's expensive" Brooke said.

"I'll fly you up and down, don't worry" Lucas said.

"Yeah, with that 4 million" Brooke said a little coolly.

"Yeah" Lucas looked away. He was flying up on Saturday, which was in 2 days. And he was going to sign the contract that night. And then just like that, he'd be a player on the Cavs.

"Daddy!" Audrina yelled, toddling in quickly.

"Hey baby girl" Lucas said softly, seeing mini Brooke running towards him. He bent over and picked her up. "How're you?"

"Good" Audrina giggled, patting Lucas's cheek.

"What have you been up to?"

"Barbie!"

"As per usual" Lucas laughed, kissing her. "So are you excited to come see daddy next week?"

"Yeah!" Audrina giggled. "I see Ohio!"

"Yeah!" Lucas laughed. Inside, his heart was breaking. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. They were all supposed to be moving up and they were all supposed to be excited about Ohio. But now, it was Lucas all by himself, leaving the two people that meant the most to him behind.

_An hour later…_

"Nate, I'm going out with Brooke!"

"Ok…why?" Nathan asked.

"She wants to let Lucas spend some time with Audrina and she's really sad right now and she just wants some girl time I think" Haley said. "Anyway, I'll see you in a few hours"

"Ok, have fun" Nathan kissed her and Haley waved goodbye.

"Thank God you're here" Brooke said when she got into the car 10 minutes later. "I had to get out"

"How's it going?" Haley asked sympathetically.

"Not so good…we're all formal with each other and like…I hate it" Brooke said. "I wish we didn't have to break up but even Lucas agreed that it would've happened eventually and it would've happened in Ohio and then I would've been stranded there"

"Yeah" Haley said. "Brooke, I'm so sorry this has to happen…I mean you guys were like the golden couple"

"I know" Brooke said. "And I'm worried about Audrina"

"She's unusually perceptive for a two year old, she'll know something's weird" Haley said. "But she'll be ok"

"I know she's just so USED to me and Lucas kissing in front of her and saying I love you and being Mommy and Daddy that like…I don't know" Brooke said. "And Lucas is leaving Saturday…Haley I have a child with this guy. How am I going to tell him goodbye?"

"Its going to be difficult, Brooke. Both of you knew that when you ended this relationship. The next couple weeks are gonna be hard. Its gonna be weird that he's not lying next to you or he's not there or whatever…but you know what you have to do. You have to move on. I know he's played such a big role in your life. I know what it's like, believe me. Been there, done that. You just have to move on"

"It'll be hard" Brooke said. "I'll do it. I did it once, I can do it again"

**A/N: Short chapter, but review anyways! **


	16. Chapter 16

It was Saturday. The dreaded Saturday. The day that Lucas was leaving, picking up, moving to Ohio. Brooke hadn't been able to sleep Friday night, and neither had Lucas.

"Thanks for helping with the boxes, Nate" Lucas said.

"No problem" Nathan said, clapping him on the shoulder. "You'll be missed"

"Yeah" Haley said. She was a little teary as she hugged Lucas goodbye.

"So…" Lucas said, turning to Brooke.

"So…" Brooke said.

"Come here" Lucas said. He pulled her close to him and hugged her tightly. "I love you, ok? Don't ever forget that"

"I love you too" Brooke whispered. He kissed the side of her head and turned to Audrina.

"Daddy bye-bye?"

"Yeah" Lucas said sadly. "I'll call you every night, ok?"

"Ok" Audrina said.

"And I'll see you next weekend, ok?"

"Ok"

"Ok I should get going" Lucas said. "They're calling us to board"

"Yeah" Brooke said. Lucas hugged everyone again.

Brooke stood there and watched Lucas give his boarding pass to the airport official, turn around, and wave again.

"Hey, you ok?" Haley asked Brooke.

Brooke shook her head and Haley hugged her tightly. And for the first time in the last 2 weeks, she cried without holding back.

_3 hours later…_

"Lucas my man!" the Cavalier's coach had come specifically to greet him at the airport.

"Hey" Lucas said.

"How was your flight?"

"Pretty good" Lucas lied through his teeth.

"As I've already told you, we arranged a place for you to stay, it's a humble little abode" he explained as the taxi driver drove them. "Your boxes are already there"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah" the coach said. "Oh…and here we are"

They pulled up in front of a large, towering two story house surrounded by other houses that were also earth-shatteringly large.

"THAT'S what you call a humble abode?" Lucas laughed. "Jeez, sir…"

"Son…from now on, you call me Coach" he said. "Meet me at Chili's tonight at 9…we'll talk then" he patted Lucas on the shoulder and left.

The house was mostly furnished, but plainly. There were 4 bedrooms, two on each floor. Lucas smiled and chose what would obviously be the master bedroom. He flopped down on the bed and sighed.

"So this is my new home" he said to himself. "Welcome to Ohio, Lucas"

* * *

"Daddy…" Audrina whined.

"Daddy isn't here, baby" Brooke said.

"He in Ohio?"

"Yeah" Brooke said. The house seemed empty and forlorn without Lucas. The phone suddenly rang. "Speak of the devil, daddy's calling"

"Yeah!" Audrina jumped up and down.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Brooke"

"Hey Luke" Brooke said. She closed her eyes for a second and imagined that they were still together and he was calling from practice or college just to say hi. "How's the new life?"

"Well they bought me a mansion" Lucas laughed. "It's so big and lonely"

"Well then you'll just have to fill it with lots of your girlfriends" Brooke said.

"Uh…"

"Kidding, Lucas"

"Right. Is Audrina there?"

"Yeah…here daddy wants to talk to you baby"

"HI DADDY!" Audrina giggled into the phone.

"Hi baby, do you miss me?"

"Yeah" Audrina said sadly. "When are yous coming home?"

"Well you'll come visit me next weekend baby girl"

"In Ohio's?"

"Yeah" Lucas laughed.

"Are you playing basetball with big boys now?"

"Yeah" Lucas laughed. He realized how much he was gonna miss Audrina's silly questions everyday.

"Here, talks to mommy" Audrina said.

"Nice little chat" Brooke said. "So anyway, we'll fly in Friday night and fly out Sunday night"

"That works…" Lucas said. "So I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah…take care of yourself, Luke" Brooke said.

"Thanks, I will" Lucas said. "Bye"

"Bye"

Brooke hung up the phone and sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought.

_Over in Ohio…_

The doorbell rang and Lucas jumped up to get it. A woman was standing there with a plate of cookies.

"Hi" Lucas said as he opened the door.

"Hi, I'm Elizabeth Austen" the 40 something woman said.

"Lucas Scott" Lucas extended his hand. "Nice to meet you"

"Hi, I'm Heather" a girl of about 19 emerged from behind her mother.

"Lucas" he said, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you too"

"Likewise" she smiled. She was typical girl next door, with a sun-kissed complexion and blue eyes. "You signed with the Cav's?"

"How'd you know?" Lucas asked, astonished.

"Believe me, Lucas" Elizabeth said. "Here, everyone knows everything about everyone…how's your daughter doing?"

Lucas was speechless for about 10 seconds.

"Told ya" Heather giggled flirtatiously.

"Well then" Lucas laughed. "And she's good, I just hung up with her and Brooke"

"Your girlfriend?"

"Ex" Lucas nodded. He couldn't believe he'd been in Ohio for a total of 5 hours and he was already telling these two strange women about him and Brooke.

"Oh" Heather said. "Sorry to hear that". But the look in her eyes said something completely different as she eyed Lucas's built, tan body up and down.

_A few hours later…_

The phone rang as Brooke was tucking Audrina in.

"It's daddy again…hello?"

"Hey, Brooke"

"Hey"

"I was calling to say goodnight to Audrina"

"Here baby"

"DADDY!"

"Hey baby girl…goodnight…I'm sending you phone kisses, ok?"

"Ok" Audrina giggled. "Night, daddy!"

"Night chipmunk" Lucas said. Brooke picked up the phone and laughed.

"Talk to you later, Luke"

"Ok…bye Brooke" he hung up the phone and sighed. "I love you"

"I love you" Brooke blurted out, but then realized the line was dead.

**A/N: Hope you liked the chapter! Don't underestimate how big of a Brucas I am! Review!**


	17. Chapter 17

Life without Lucas had now become an everyday thing for Brooke. She woke up without him, went to sleep without him, ate dinner without him- etc, etc, etc. She didn't like it, but she did it anyway. And every step of the way, she remembered him.

It had been 4 months. 4 long, hard months. And finally, she was accepting the reality. She and Lucas were done. Finished. Caput. Now her life revolved around earning her four year degree and Audrina. She was in September of her final year of undergrad school. Audrina was three and attended pre-school and sweet as she was, she was quite a handful. Every weekend, either Lucas would come down (which was the case most of the time) or Brooke and Audrina would go up (which usually happened once a month). Brooke knew Lucas was lonely, but he seemed to have _some_ company, a girl by the name of Heather. She seemed pretty harmless, but she was always coming over because her mother made sandwiches or cookies or something delicious and surprisingly it was _always_ when Brooke went up.

"What kind of name is HEATHER anyway?" Brooke asked the kitchen sink as she scrubbed a pot. "It sounds like feather and I don't like feathers cause I'm allergic to them. I hate the name Heather" she said, scrubbing the pot a little harder than normal.

"Mommy?" Audrina asked.

"Yes baby?"

"Are yous PMSing again?"

"I think so" Brooke laughed at her observant little daughter.

"Do you misses daddy?" she asked.

"Every day" Brooke said sadly. "Every single day munchkin"

_Over in Ohio…_

"How was practice?" Heather asked.

Lucas jumped. "Whoa, you scared me!" he laughed. He was sitting on his back porch sipping some lemonade. "It was fine…a lot of work but still fine"

"Good to hear that" Heather said. Lucas noticed briefly that she was wearing extra short shorts and a very short, very tight, very expensive looking button down shirt. "So I was wondering…if you're not too tired tonight, a bunch of my friends are going out…"

"Uh…I don't know I'm pretty tired" Lucas said.

"Come on" she giggled. "It'll be fun!"

"I don't know" Lucas said.

"Lucas Scott, are you really passing up on a night with Heather Austen?" she asked softly, unbuttoning her top button and edging closer to Lucas.

"Heather!" Lucas said, jumping up and spilling his drink when he felt her hand on his leg. "I cant do this!"

"Why not?" she asked. "It's not like you're still Brooke's boyfriend" she said.

"I know, but I'm not over her…I cant just DO that" Lucas said. "Now please, leave"

"Brooke wont ever come back to you, Lucas" Heather said, getting up. She unbuttoned the remaining buttons to reveal her tan, toned stomach and itty-bitty bikini. "And you'll lie in bed every night, _alone_, regretting what you gave up" she said, leaning close and whispering "_Me_".

Lucas shook his head, got up, went in, and slammed the sliding door shut.

"People are unbelievable" Lucas said to himself. The phone rang and he lunged at it, hoping it was Brooke. "Hello?"

"Hey Lucas" Brooke's sweet voice came over the phone. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Hey Brooke"

"What's up?"

"Well I just got hit on by a 19 year old, I spilled my lemonade, and now I'm wet and pissed" Lucas laughed. He was glad that at least he and Brooke could still laugh together.

"Sounds fun…my day wasn't any better" Brooke laughed. "Audrina! Daddy's on the phone!"

"DADDY!" Audrina shrieked into the phone. "How's basetball with the big boys?"

"Its great baby girl…are you being a good girl at home?"

"Yeah" Audrina giggled. "I's help mommy cook!"

"Oh that must've been interesting" Lucas laughed.

"It was" Brooke called into the phone. He could hear her fixing things up in the kitchen in the background and desperately missed that sound.

"Okay baby I have to go" Lucas said. "I'll call you to say goodnight, ok?"

"Bye's daddy!" Audrina said.

"Tell mommy I said bye" Lucas said, and hung up.

"Mommy, daddy says bye" Audrina giggled, climbing up on the counter and wrapping her arms around Brooke's neck.

"Silly girl what are you doing?" Brooke asked Audrina, laughing and picking her up and shifting her to one hip.

"I's being a baby" Audrina said.

"I think you'll always be my baby"

"I thinks so too"

_Over at Nathan and Haley's…_

"Nathan, what exactly is that?" Haley asked. She had a bowl of ice cream and she was sitting in her pajamas in the bed.

"It's a t-shirt folder!" Nathan said. "See, you just lay your shirt on it and fold it and it folds the shirt!"

"Nathan, baby, I love you but that looks utterly useless" Haley laughed.

"Nu uh!"

"Yeah" Haley nodded.

"You're so mean to me" Nathan said, climbing up on the bed with her and kissing her.

"I know" Haley laughed. "Anyway, I thought we could invite Brooke and Audrina over tonight…I know Brooke's really lonely…and Peyton's coming home today from Paris anyway"

"Oh really…I can't wait to see her!" Nathan said. "Its been like 3 years"

"I don't even think Peyton's seen Audrina yet" Haley said.

"Yeah, she was in Savannah when Audrina was born" Nathan said.

"Yeah and then Brooke and Lucas took Audrina to California and Peyton left for Paris"

"Yeah…gosh that's weird" Nathan said. "Have you talked to Luke today?"

"Not today…but you know how it's his birthday soon?" Haley asked.

"Yeah" Nathan said.

"I have an idea…"

**A/N: Review please.**


	18. Chapter 18

"That's a good idea, Haley…you guys can take Audrina with you"

"What, you're not going to come?" Haley demanded.

"Oh, please. So I can see Feather and her posse of over-manicured sluts at my ex-boyfriends birthday party? PLEASE" Brooke said.

"Come on…I know how much he misses you"

"How?"

"He tells me every single time I call him"

"Haley…" Brooke said. "He's started a new life. He's over me and over his life in North Carolina. We're not meant to be…we just thought we were"

"That's not true" Haley defended.

"Yes it is" Brooke said. "It's a great idea though, Hales"

"Audrina won't go without her mother and it would break his heart if he couldn't see his little girl on his birthday"

"Oh FINE" Brooke said. "You just guilted me into it"

"Yes!" Haley high fived Nathan. "Anyway, Peyton's coming over soon!"

"I'm SO excited" Brooke said. "I missed my goldilocks"

"Yeah" Haley said. The doorbell rang. "And that would be her"

Brooke and Haley ran to the door, opened it, and screamed when they saw Peyton. The three girls enveloped each other in hugs and jumped up and down, screaming.

"OH MY GOD" Brooke shrieked. "You look amazing"

"Why thank you" Peyton said. She was curvier, glowing, and her hair was its natural curly again.

"Whose are you?" Audrina came up and asked Peyton.

"This is not fair, B. Davis" Peyton complained. "My own godchild doesn't know me"

"Yous my godmother?" Audrina asked.

"Hi Audrina, I'm Peyton…I'm your mommy's best friend and your godmother"

"Hi" Audrina said, suddenly shy.

"Omg Brooke she looks EXACTLY like you…except for those baby blues" Peyton said. "Those belong to Lucas"

"Yeah she's my girl" Brooke said proudly.

"Come on" Peyton said, taking the little girl's hand. "You and I have a lot of bonding to do…"

_In Ohio…_

"Hey Lucas" Matthew, one of his teammates, greeted him. "What's up?"

"Nothing" Lucas said. "You?"

"Coach is going to run us to death today" he laughed. "And it's my turn to cook dinner tonight"

"Oh" Lucas laughed. "Wife got you whipped?"

"More than you'll ever know" Matthew rolled his eyes but there was a smile on his face. "I do more than she does"

"Let me guess- she shops all day"

"Shopping isn't the word, man" Matthew rolled his eyes. "And my daughters no better"

"I have a daughter too!" Lucas beamed. "How old is yours?"

"Six and already more like her mother than she'll ever be"

"Mines almost 3…and the same way- she's her mom's carbon copy" Lucas laughed.

"So does your wife live with you?" Matthew asked.

"Well we're not married or engaged…we kind of broke up" Lucas said. "She lives in Chapel Hill in North Carolina"

"Oh…sorry to hear that dude" Matthew said. "I know how that can be"

"Yeah" Lucas sighed. "Let's hit the court?"

"Let's do it" he said and ran out.

* * *

"That's a fantastic idea!" Peyton said. "I haven't seen Lucas in forever…it'll be great"

"Ok" Haley said. "So we've got it all planned out. Friday night we fly into Cleveland. Then we'll stay at the hotel and when he leaves for basketball practice, we get into his house and decorate. Then he'll come home and we'll all jump out!"

"This is so cliché" Brooke groaned.

"He's gonna shit his pants when he sees all of us" Nathan laughed.

"No joke" Peyton laughed. "What am I supposed to get him?"

"I have no clue either" Brooke said. "And I actually have to make my gift normal and not crazy because we're not together anymore"

"Says who?" Peyton asked. "Brooke you are still Brooke and he is still Lucas- breaking up hasn't changed that. You should still be yourself"

"You haven't changed one bit P. Sawyer" Brooke laughed, hugging her. "I'm glad you're home"

"I'm glad to be home" Peyton laughed, hugging her back.

"I's glad you're home too!" Audrina giggled. She had warmed right up to Peyton.

"I know silly girl" Peyton laughed. "I cant believe I didn't get to meet my goddaughter until she could talk"

"It sucks" Brooke nodded. "If you weren't miss world traveler…"

"It was AMAZING, Brooke" Peyton said. "I have to take you to Florence"

"I know, Europe sounds amazing…maybe when munchkin goes to college?" Brooke laughed.

"Maybe" Peyton laughed.

"Okay, Nathan you got our tickets, right?" Haley was ignoring them and checking off things on a checklist.

"Yeah" Nathan said.

"Hales, chill" Peyton laughed. "We're leaving in like a week, it's ok"

"Not a week, 5 days" Haley said. "And don't forget, you still have to buy him a present and pack"

"Ok, fine, 5 days" Peyton laughed. "Lucas will love it, and I practically backpacked across Europe I'm not stranger to moving fast"

"I hope Lucas will love it" Brooke said. "I'm not flying all that way for him to be like what the hell are you doing here"

"Come on Brooke" Nathan laughed. "He misses you like crazy"

"Right"

"He does! He says so every time he calls"

"Why does he tell everybody ELSE?" Brooke asked.

"Because he's afraid that he'll hear you say you DON'T miss him" Haley said.

"Which isn't true" Brooke sighed.

"I can't believe you guys are over" Peyton said. "I almost cried when I heard, I can't imagine how it was for you, Brooke"

"It wasn't fun, I can assure you of that" Brooke sighed.

"How'd she take it?" Peyton asked, pointing to Audrina who was bored with all the adult talk and was now fast asleep in Nathan's lap.

"She doesn't really grasp that mommy and daddy are over" Brooke said. "She thinks Lucas is on some kind of vacation"

"Must be tough" Peyton said.

"It is…but I get through it, you know. Life isn't always pretty"

_Over in Ohio…_

"So, how was breaking up with Brooke?" Matthew asked Lucas over lunch.

"It was…HORRIBLE" Lucas laughed. "That's the only word for it"

"She didn't wanna move?"

"Yeah, it wasn't just that…you know her schoolwork is very important to her nowadays- it never used to be but it is now and we had Audrina and I was never home and dude it all just fell apart"

"How'd you deal?"

"I moved" Lucas laughed.

"Dang"

"Yeah"

"How did your daughter handle it?"

"She doesn't really grasp it, you know she's only 3…but she cried when I left" Lucas sighed. "I cried a little when I left…Brooke cried a lot"

"That sucks man" Matthew said.

"Yeah…but I get through it. Life isn't always pretty"

**A/N: Reviews would be nice.**


	19. Chapter 19

"I hate airplanes" Audrina whined.

"I know baby you get your airsickness from me" Brooke laughed.

"Where's piggy?" Audrina asked.

"She's right here" Nathan said. "She's a good pillow"

"I know!" Audrina giggled. "I cant sleeps without piggy"

"I think we're about to land" Haley said. "So pull up your chairs"

"You should consider a career as a flight attendant" Peyton said.

"Maybe I will" Haley said sticking her tongue out.

"Flight attendants prepare for landing" the captions voice crackled over the system.

_Three hours later…_

Everyone was settled in there hotel room and Peyton and Brooke were digging through the mounds of crepe paper that Haley had purchased.

"This is crazy" Brooke shook her head. "I'm so nervous"

"Do I looks pretty, mommy?" Audrina flounced out in a pink tutu.

"You look gorgeous baby"

"Thank yous"

"Are you ready to go?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah" Peyton said. They met Nathan and Haley at the front of the hotel and hailed a cab. 20 minutes later, they pulled up to Lucas's house.

"JESUS" Nathan said when he saw the house.

"It's big" Peyton laughed.

"Big isn't the word" Haley laughed. "More like GIGANTIC"

"Okay, run and ring the doorbell just in case a cleaning service or someone else is in there" Brooke instructed.

They all trudged up the long driveway with party favors in hand and Brooke rang the doorbell. To their horror and surprise, Lucas ran to the door and opened it. He was shirtless and in his boxers.

But the next thing they saw was even more horrific. Heather Austen came up next to Lucas in a robe with a smirk on her face and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"So, you're Lucas's little friends?" she sneered.

"I can't believe I flew all the way for this" Brooke said, her voice breaking. "I'll see you guys back at the hotel" she turned and ran down the driveway.

"Brooke, wait…BROOKE!" Lucas ran after her down the driveway and in no time had caught up to her. He grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Wait, Brooke"

"Why should I wait, Lucas?" Brooke said, tears now running freely down her face. "Its obvious you've moved on!"

"Please, let me explain"

"NO!"

"Brooke, please" Lucas said. "It isn't what it looks like"

"That's crap" Brooke said, sobbing. "I'm going back to the hotel"

"BROOKE" Lucas said. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close to him. Brooke sank into his chest and sobbed.

"Lucas…I missed you. I came here with some hope that maybe we could fix things but you with that girl just broke my heart…Lucas Scott I love you more than life itself and I don't think I can go on much longer without you" Brooke sobbed.

"I was hoping you would say that" Lucas whispered, kissing her. "I've missed you these last 5 months more than I've ever missed anyone in my entire life…you're the one for me, Brooke Davis. I know it"

"What about…her?"

"Brooke we didn't even sleep together" Lucas said. "I promise"

"I believe you" Brooke said, wiping her tears.

Little Audrina had made her way down the driveway and was now standing in front of her parents with her arms crossed.

"Ares we gonna start the party? The ice-creams melting Mommy!"

"Come on baby" Brooke bent down and picked her up.

"Mommy, are yous sad?"

"No, I'm not" Brooke said, smiling through her tears.

"Are you crying happy tears?"

"Yes…yes I am"

_A few hours later…_

"This is the best birthday ever" Lucas said. His arms were wrapped tightly around Brooke and they were sitting on the couch. Heather had left in a huff and everyone was eating cake and laughing. "Thanks you guys"

"It was fun" Haley laughed.

"So, Lucas Scott" Peyton said. "How's playing with one of the best teams in the nation feel like?"

"Really good" Lucas laughed.

"I bet the bank account feels good too"

"It feels really good" Lucas laughed. It was obvious that he had money. Someone had updated his wardrobe, and Brooke suspected it had been one of the teammate's PR girls. His house was obviously cleaned by a maid and his car was a new Lexus, not his old Honda.

"So we'll get back to the hotel now?" Haley said.

"Absolutely not" Lucas said. "There's plenty of room here. I'll send John to get your stuff"

"John?" Brooke asked.

"My…assistant?" Lucas said sheepishly.

"Lucas Scott you dirty little rich boy" Brooke whispered in his ear. "I love you"

"Brooke Davis, I love you too" Lucas whispered back.

* * *

"I'll miss you while you're gone" Lucas said to Brooke, kissing her.

"I'll miss you too…but soon, baby, soon" Brooke said. "It's October…only two more months"

"I know" Lucas said.

"No having fun with that Heather girl, ok?"

"I promise with all my heart"

Brooke and Lucas had gotten back together. Brooke had decided to move to Ohio in December and finish off the last half of her senior year of undergrad in Ohio. They had stayed up all night talking about it on Lucas's back porch.

"I love you"

"I love you too" Lucas said, kissing her again. "Call me when you guys get home, ok?"

"Bye brother in law" Haley laughed, hugging him bye.

"Bye sister in law" Lucas laughed, hugging her back.

"DADDY will I see's you soon?" Audrina pouted.

"Yeah baby…next weekend" Lucas said, kissing her. "Be good for mommy, ok?"

After everyone had said their goodbyes, they boarded the plane. Before Brooke entered the long passageway, she turned to look at Lucas. He mouthed I love you and smiled and Brooke felt herself falling in love all over again.

**A/N: There was such an overbearing DEMAND to bring Brucas back that I had to…hope you liked it! **


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me SO LONG to update! Computer problems!  
**

"Audrina Lindsey Scott, please sit still for Aunt Haley" Brooke sighed.

"Mommy do I get to throw flowers at people"

"Yes baby, soon" Brooke laughed.

"Audrina, if you sit still I won't poke you as much with these bobby pins…damn where did she get all this curly hair from"

"Not me OR Lucas" Brooke laughed.

"She got it from me" Peyton laughed.

"This is true" Brooke laughed.

"There you go…you're done…now go find Grandma Karen and have her find something for you to do" Haley sighed. "How's Brooke's hair going"

"Good" Rachel said. "Bevin and I are master hairdressers"

"It looks pretty" Haley said, tousling one of the curls. "You're going to look beautiful"

Brooke sat there, not responding. Nervous butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

"Hey girlie...its ok" Haley said, hugging Brooke. "You'll be fine"

"I know...am I doing the right thing?" Brooke asked nervously.

"Brooke Penelope Davis" Peyton said. "No one is more confident about this than me. I know, you know, Halee knows...we all know you're doing the right thing...now come on,  
I wanna see a smile!"

Brooke smiled nervously and looked around the opulent dressing room. _Here I go..._

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"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sign of God – and in the face of this company – to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore – is not by any – to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together – let them speak now or forever hold their peace"

Brooke looked at Lucas and all of her nervous butterflies disappeared. They exchanged a look and both simultaneously felt their hearts flutter.

"Through marriage, Lucas and Brooke make a commitment together to face their disappointments – embrace their dreams – realize their hopes – and accept each other's failures. Lucas and Brooke will promise one another to aspire to these ideals throughout their lives together – through mutual understanding – openness – and sensitivity to each other.  
We are here today – before God – because marriage is one of His most sacred wishes – to witness the joining in marriage of Lucas and Brooke. This occasion marks the celebration of love and commitment with which this man and this woman begin their life together. And now – through me – He joins you together in one of the holiest bonds"

Memories raced through Brookes mind like trains on a fast track. Lucas asking her out on their first date, Lucas kissing her, Lucas and her making love, Lucas and her playing in the park, Lucas cheating on her, the pregnancy scare, Lucas asking her out again, Audrina, their first couple years of college...everything that they had been through together.

"By gathering together all the wishes of happiness and our fondest hopes for Lucas and Brooke from all present here, we assure them that our hearts are in tune with theirs. These moments are so meaningful to all of us, for what greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together – to strengthen each other in all labor –  
to minister to each other in all sorrow – to share with each other in all gladness."

Lucas looked at Brooke and all his thoughts vanished. In that single moment, all he saw was him and her. All he heard in his head was the thousands of times she had said "I love you Lucas".

"This relationship stands for love, loyalty, honesty and trust, but most of all for friendship. Before they knew love, they were friends, and it was from this seed of friendship that is their destiny. Do not think that you can direct the course of love – for love, if it finds you worthy, shall direct you"

Now Haley, Peyton, and Karen had lost it. Even Jake and Nathan looked a little teary.

"Marriage is an act of faith and a personal commitment as well as a moral and physical union between two people. Marriage has been described as the best and most important relationship that can exist between them. It is the construction of their love and trust into a single growing energy of spiritual life. It is amoral commitment that requires and deserves daily attention. Marriage should be a life long consecration of the ideal of loving kindness – backed with the will to make it last"

Nathan and Haley exchanged glances and smiled. They were happy for their best friends, that something so wonderful was happening to them.

"Here are the exchanging of the vows- Do you Lucas Eugene Scott, take Brooke Penelope Davis to be your wife – to live together after God's ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"

Lucas smiled at Brooke. "I do"

"And do you Brooke Penelope Davis, take Lucas Eugene Scott to be your husband – to live together after God's ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?"

Brooke smiled back at Lucas. "I do"

Peyton handed the minister Brooke's ring and Nathan handed the minister Lucas's ring.

"May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this affectionate unity. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go – may they always return to one another May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home which they establish together be such a place that many will find there a friend. May these rings on their fingers symbolize the touch of the spirit of love in their hearts."

"Lucas Eugene Scott, in placing this ring on Brooke Penelope Davis's finger, repeat after me: Brooke, you are now consecrated to me as my wife from this day forward and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity and with this ring, I thee wed"

"Brooke, you are now consecrated to me as my wife from this day forward and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity and with this ring,  
I thee wed" Lucas said.

"Brooke Penelope Davis, in placing this ring on Lucas Eugene Scott's finger, repeat after me: Lucas, you are now consecrated to me as my husband from this day forward and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity and with this ring, I thee wed"

"Lucas, you are now consecrated to me as my husband from this day forward and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity and with this ring, I thee wed" Brooke said.

"May you always share with each other the gifts of love – be one in heart and in mind – may you always create a home together that puts in your hearts – love – generosity and kindness.

In as much as Lucas and Brooke have consented together in marriage before this company of friends and family and have pledged their faith – and declared their unity by giving and receiving a ring – are now joined.

You have pronounced yourselves husband and wife but remember to always be each other's best friend.

What – therefore – God has joined together – let no man put asunder.

And so, by the power vested in me by the State of Ohio and Almighty God, I now pronounce you man and wife – and may your days be good and long upon the earth.

You may now kiss the bride"

Lucas pulled Brooke close to him and kissed her.

"I love you Brooke Scott"

"I love you too, Lucas Scott"

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"That was by FAR the most beautiful wedding ceremony I have EVER witnessed" Haley said, hugging Brooke and Lucas at the reception. "Congratulations, Tigger"

"Thanks" Brooke smiled.

"And B. Davis...or should I say B. Scott...I am so proud and happy for you" Peyton said. "And you too, Lucas"

"Thanks Peyt" they both said, hugging her.

"MY BABYS MARRIED!" Karen said, coming towards Lucas and squeezing him tightly.

"Mom...Mom you're suffocating me" Lucas laughed.

"And Brooke" Karen turned towards her. "I couldnt have asked for a better daughter in law"

"Thanks, Karen" Brooke laughed.

"Where's OUR daughter?" Lucas asked.

"MOMMY! DADDY!" Audrina yelled, toddling towards them.

"Hey baby girl" Lucas said, bending over and picking her up.

"Are you and mommy married nows?"

"Yeah!"

"Our plan workeded?"

"Yeah!" Lucas laughed.

"I'm gonna go eat cake" Audrina jumped down from Lucas's arms.

"She's so precious" Brooke said. Lucas laughed and grabbed her around the waist.

"Wait till you hear the song I picked out"

"What did you pick out?"

"If the bride and groom would lead the dance, please" Peyton smiled, speaking into the microphone.

The music started and Brooke gasped. "Lucas, how did you know?"

_The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful _

_Stop me and steal my breath_

_ Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky _

_Never revealing their depth _

_Tell me that we belong together _

_Dress it up with the trappings of love _

_I'll be captivated _

_I'll hang from your lips _

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

_I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be your love suicide and _

_I'll be better when I'm older _

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_Rain falls angry on the tin roof _

_As we lie awake in my bed _

_You're my survival, you're my living proof _

_My love is alive not dead _

_Tell me that we belong together _

_Dress it up with the trappings of love _

_I'll be captivated _

_I'll hang from your lips_

_ Instead of the gallows of heartache, that hang from above_

_I'll be your crying shoulder _

_I'll be your love suicide and _

_I'll be better when I'm older _

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life..._

"I love you, Brooke...more than you'll ever know"

**A/N: THE END! I cried cause I'm like that lol. Ummm sequel soon, its called "More Than You'll Ever Know" REVIEW PLEASE!**


	21. Authors Note, Please Read!

Hey guys. Sorry about how long it's taken for me to update. I've decided that I'm **NOT** gonna do a sequel to this story, I'm gonna put up a new story that's (obviously) a Brucas but it is **NOT GOING TO BE A SEQUEL TO LOVE JUST IS**.

Sorry! The storyline just wasn't strong enough to be able to be made into a sequel.

I'll have the new story called "Butterflies Don't Lie" up very soon, I promise! Thanks so much for being so cooperative!


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